Dark and Light
by At the Shadows Edge
Summary: The mission was successful. In a perfect world, life would have returned to normal for Mutant X and Roslin. Reality is not that kind. There were deep emotional wounds that were slow to heal, new dynamics that threatened to corrode the team from within, and hearts' secrets that could not be expressed. And enemies still sought revenge. Sequel to Secrets and Shadows
1. Chapter 1

_This is a sequel to Secrets and Shadows. A lot of will make no sense unless you've read that one first. -AU, crossover with The Pretender and The Listener._

 _I'll try to post every other day or so. The first half of the story is done, the second is mapped out. Reviews may encourage me to keep to the posting schedule._

* * *

Four weeks was long enough for most of the physical injuries to heal. Long enough for things to start getting back to normal. Long enough for Sanctuary, large as it was, to start feeling like a cage.

It wasn't long enough to heal the mental and emotional wounds. They were starting to heal. There was definite progress. But they had only healed so far.

Roslin rubbed her biceps as she paced and looked around her room. How one place could be a haven and a cage at the same time was something she hadn't worked out yet. It was the one place where no one bothered her, her retreat from whatever she couldn't deal with at the moment. But she was so tired of looking at the same four walls, of not being comfortable outside of them.

At least the nightmares had mostly gone away.

The EM field made her room one of the few places where the pressures of everyone else's thoughts and emotions were barely noticeable. And that was something she should probably tell Adam about. The EM field should have kept everything completely out - not just mostly out. Her telepathy had continued to mutate, more rapidly than Adam or Roslin were happy with, but the fluctuations did seem to be slowing down at least.

Roslin wasn't sure she wanted Adam to know. He and Jesse would try to find a way to strengthen the field. That might be a good thing, but she'd lose her ability to tell when most of the others left Sanctuary. That knowledge was one of the few things that was keeping her from going stir-crazy.

She had to keep her defenses up fairly high when everyone was around and that almost always gave her a headache. If Brennan was in Sanctuary, Roslin had to be doubly careful. He was loud, vocally, mentally, emotionally. And he only remembered to bring his own mental shields up when Emma was around.

But he, Emma, and Shalimar were all out for now. Roslin had felt it when they left. That only left Jesse and Adam. Adam would be in the lab or his office - both of which she intended to avoid. Jesse would probably be at his computer. With both of the men concentrating on their work, Roslin could let her defenses down a bit.

Not only would that minimize the chance for a headache later, but it would give her enough of a sense of where they were to keep her from flinching away if she encountered them. Four weeks and she still flinched from Adam, Emma, and Jesse if they startled her the least bit. She knew the truth - she'd watched the videos almost obsessively the first week. She should be past it by now.

Roslin shook her head causing auburn hair to settle out of her eyes. She blew out a sigh and reached for a hair tie. A session in the dojo was the first thing on her list for the day. She was rehabbing her shoulder for the second time and while she'd regained almost full range of motion, strength was still an issue. Besides, she needed to think, and to work off some of the frustration that was building up.

A last check told her no one was nearby and Roslin opened her door, stepping out into Sanctuary's halls. She didn't let herself even glance in the direction of the kitchen. The dojo was waiting.

* * *

I typed a new command into the computer, but I barely saw the results when they came up. Though Roslin didn't know it, I'd seen her come out of her room. After everything she'd been through, I couldn't help but worry about her.

All the trust issues Roslin had when I first met her had come back even stronger. She was trying, and things were getting better, but Roslin was fighting her own instincts. I'd been the person she trusted most, and the false version of me that Paragon had shown her only made things worse.

And because of what Paragon had done to her, I couldn't keep a personal eye on her like I wanted to. Not without making things worse. So I was using the security systems. I had a suspicion the only reason I hadn't heard from Adam about it was because he was doing the same thing.

She was headed away from the kitchen, probably to the dojo. She spent a lot of time there, usually in Shal's company. Of all of us, she seemed most comfortable with my "big sister" now. But Shal was out with Brennan and Emma.

I frowned, rubbing a hand over my jaw as I watched the feed. I knew, from Adam, that Roslin was working on rehabilitating her shoulder and it was still giving her trouble sometimes. I wasn't sure I liked the idea of her in the dojo by herself though. It would be far to easy to re-injure herself.

Before the GSA and then Paragon had gotten their hands on her, Roslin had started to realize there were people who would help her when she needed it. Since we'd gotten her back, she seemed to have mostly forgotten she didn't have to keep everything to herself.

It seemed she might be talking to Shal, at least a little. The two had grown close over the last month. Close enough that I wouldn't have worried about Roslin being in the dojo if Shal had been around. But she wasn't. And I was pretty sure Roslin was getting frustrated.

Roslin wasn't the only one frustrated, though none of us blamed her. It was clear to all of us that she fighting what Paragon and Juliana's people had done to her. And she was succeeding.

But it wasn't a quick process. Certainly not quick enough for her, though, even remembering what Jarod had said, I was surprised she'd come as far as she had.

It wasn't until she'd been back a full week that Roslin could even stay in the same room with Adam, Emma, or me. And then it hadn't been for more than a few minutes, and not without someone else there. Now she'd stopped flinching away when she saw us, but after even a few minutes in our company, Roslin would be a bundle of nerves, almost shaking.

The only thing I wanted to do was protect her, soothe that fear, and that was the very thing I couldn't do. Because I was what Roslin was afraid of. If Adam hadn't found things for me to do outside of Sanctuary during the first couple of weeks, I would have asked him to.

I couldn't watch her and not want to do something. But the something Roslin needed me to do was to give her space and time to work things out. I didn't need Emma to tell me that much, though she had. I could try to make things a little easier on Roslin though. So I kept my mental walls up, made myself scarce when it was clear she was feeling uneasy, and did my best not to startle her when we crossed paths.

I almost switched camera feeds when I realized Roslin had disappeared while I'd been thinking. After a moment, I sighed and minimized the window instead. Worrying about Roslin wasn't helping anyone and it wasn't getting the security updates done. I really needed to focus on that or Adam would start in on me about watching Roslin on the security feeds. There would be plenty of time to worry later.

I'm not sure how much later it was when I installed the last patch, but my coffee mug was empty. I typed in the command for a scan of the security system and stood up to stretch. It would take some time for the scan to run and it was time for a refill and maybe a snack while I waited.

That was what I told myself, anyway. I wasn't going to the kitchen because I thought I heard someone, or because I thought it might be Roslin. It was just time to refuel. Even so, I found myself whistling quietly as I made my way to the kitchen.

* * *

Jarod had stayed for week after they'd pulled her out of Paragon. There were times Roslin wished he'd stayed longer - or that she'd gone with him when he left. But he couldn't leave the Centre to run itself.

That first week had been when she'd needed him the most. She'd barely been able to handle even seeing Adam, Emma, and Jesse the first few days. After watching the videos four or five times, she'd at least stopped flinching when they crossed her line of sight.

She'd spent most of that first week in her room or with Shalimar. The feral was more patient with her than Roslin had expected and provided a buffer between her and the others. Brennan tended to avoid her, though Roslin wasn't sure why. Still, she wasn't as comfortable with him as she was with Shalimar, so it was probably better that way.

The last day or two before Jarod left, he and Shalimar had started bringing Adam into the lab with them. At first, she'd been unable to think past the instinctive fear that rose just being in the same room. But Adam didn't touch her, didn't even come close. He'd stayed by the computers, run the scans, and barely spoken to her. If there was need, it was Jarod or Shalimar who adjusted sensors or drew blood.

By the time Jarod left, Roslin didn't feel like she was going to panic just being in the lab with Adam, as long as she wasn't alone with him. It was still the worst part of her day though. And at the same time, it was the most necessary.

Her telepathy was still mutating, whether because of what Paragon had done or whether it was just the natural course of things. And every time it mutated, it affected her empathy as well. Scans and tests were they only way they were going to be able to counter the changes, or at least figure out what was causing them.

Roslin finished the strength exercises, but she wasn't ready to go back to her room, or deal with anyone else yet. She still had some thinking to do. She started a kata Shalimar had taught her the previous week and let her mind work things through.

She wanted, more than anything, to go back to before Paragon had grabbed her. Back to when her instinctive reaction to Jesse had been one of trust, back to when she'd been coming to trust the rest of Mutant X as well. Her instinctive reaction now, to everyone but Shalimar and Brennan, was fear.

And that was the problem. Adam seemed to take it for what it was - probably the scientist in him. But he didn't take it personally. Emma had the advantage of being able to feel the internal battle Roslin went through each time. So the instinctive reaction might hurt the other empath, but she didn't take it personally either.

Jesse, though, didn't have Emma's advantage. Every time Roslin flinched or moved away from him, it hurt him. He did take it personally, yet Roslin knew he didn't blame her for it. It was more as if he were hurting for her. And it hurt Roslin to know she was hurting him.

The nightmares were coming less frequently, and unless they startled her, Roslin no longer flinched just because one of them came into the same room. That was a good thing, since both Emma and Jesse tended to lurk nearby whenever they could do so without being too obvious. Neither of them pushed her. Jesse was just there. Emma projected a general feeling of calm and safety. It helped, a little. What helped more was that the tele-empath didn't push to let her help. Roslin wasn't even close to ready to let someone else inside her head again.

Still, it bothered her that she still couldn't get past the instinctive reactions when she knew the truth. She still watched the videos whenever she felt the doubt start to creep in. She'd even seen the file on the psionic who'd planted the damn memories. There was no doubt those memories were fake and after four weeks of reinforcing that knowledge, Roslin should be able to get past the instinct to shy away.

A vague burning sensation in her shoulder worked its way through her thoughts, demanding attention. Roslin stopped the kata, rolling her shoulder with a wince. The problem with allowing her mind the freedom to work through things was that she tended not to pay attention to the signals her body sent her. She sighed and rolled the shoulder again.

It didn't feel like she'd done any permanent damage, but it was going to take at least an hour or two before she was going to be able to use her arm normally again. Not the way Roslin had wanted to start the day. It was going to cause Adam, if no one else, to ask questions she didn't really want to answer yet.

Hiding out down here wasn't going to fix anything though and she really could use some coffee. With any luck, she'd be able to avoid anyone for a little while longer.


	2. Chapter 2

_Time for a quick check in with some of Mutant X's enemies. This chapter is short, so I decided to post the next chapter as well. Enjoy - and if you do, please let me know!_

* * *

Dr. Kenneth Harrison studied the images on his monitor with a frown. The number of subjects Mr. Eckhart's GS agents had brought in was impressive. Unfortunately, it was going to take a lot of time to establish baselines, and Mr. Eckhart was impatient for results. Still, Harrison's team could run the baseline tests while he worked out the tests that would allow the GSA to determine if a potential employee was a natural mutant.

The loss of data from Paragon was regrettable. Harrison pursed his lips in thought. At least he still had the data from Ms. Britton's short stay at Genomex. It might not be much, but perhaps closer study of the data might give him some direction. It would depend on whether the few test he'd had the opportunity to run were able to differentiate between her two abilities.

He hadn't known at the time that his test subject had two different psionic abilities. The only tests they'd had time for had been for baselines though, so there might be something there he hadn't known to look for originally. Yes a review of that data was essential.

He really did need that subject back in his control. It would be so much more efficient to run his tests on a single subject who had both a natural and a manipulated mutation. Especially one he already had baseline results for. His people were going to be wasting valuable time establishing those same baselines for each of the mutants the GSA had brought in.

And before he could actually begin testing, they were going to have to determine if the subject's mutation was natural or the result of Genomex's manipulation. Provided, of course, the mutation was even real to begin with.

Psionics were his least favorite of the mutation classes.

He wanted Ms. Britton back, and if Mr. Eckhart's people managed to find her again, hewould be certain not to let her out of his possession again.

* * *

Mason Eckhart smiled slightly as he read the file on the screen in front of him. Adam might have managed to find a cure for that claudosporium epidemic last year, but he'd also left Genomex without wiping all his data on it. Genomex researchers had been studying that data for the past year. And it seemed as if they were finally making some progress with it. A controlled version of the claudosporium effect, especially in Genomex's hands, would be very useful.

It would be far more useful to have Ms. Britton in a stasis pod for evaluation. In retrospect, letting Ms. Nolan and Paragon Research have her had been a mistake. Though at least Ms. Nolan had provided the previous data Paragon had on Ms. Britton.

Still, Adam and his people had managed to steal the woman away from Paragon. GS agents had been looking for her, but they'd had no success so far. At least she'd been taken from Paragon and not Genomex. The warning she was meant to be wasn't blunted too much, because few people knew she was no longer at Paragon.

Despite the annoyance of not being able to make an example of Ms. Britton, there might be something to Genomex's benefit coming out of the situation. It hadn't occurred to Eckhart until just now. Ms. Nolan and Dr. Harrison had both mentioned that all of the data on Paragon's tests on Ms. Britton had been stolen at the same time she had.

Perhaps Genomex has something Ms. Nolan might want, since the GSA databases hadn't been stolen. Data from Paragon's original experiment was there, along with the little data Dr. Harrison had from his own tests. It wasn't a lot of data, but it was more than Ms. Nolan's people currently had on Ms. Britton.

The other project he was following was progressing as well. His GS agents were gathering quite a collection of psionics. That should provide Harrison and his team with plenty of experimental subjects. Eckhart had been explicit when he gave the GS agents their instructions. They were to collect known new mutants, but they were also to pull in suspected psionics who weren't in the Genomex databases, so-called "natural" mutants.

If Dr. Harrison couldn't determine a way to recognize one of these "natural" psionics, he would find himself in a stasis pod.

* * *

Juliana Nolan sat with her back to her desk, gazing out the window at the nearby skyscrapers. The cold beauty of her face was marred by slight shadows under her eyes. The last month had been one of frantic activity. Thanks to Jarod and Mutant X, Juliana had been forced to take drastic measures and personally oversee them.

Paragon's genetic program might have been secret, but it was far more important to the company's future than anyone else knew. It had taken a lot of work, but there was no evidence left on the books that the program had ever existed. It was still running, just much further underground, and there was no on the board of directors, other than herself that knew it even existed.

She had managed to get someone into Genomex. Eckhart's security screenings weren't as good as he thought, but that was to her benefit. She wasn't about to tell him, especially since he wasn't being forthcoming with any information about Mutant X. Nor was he sharing whatever data Harrison still had on Roslin from the short time the GSA had her in custody.

At least she knew where Jarod was, and so far he'd kept his promise. No one had come sniffing around Paragon so far, though Juliana was certain that wouldn't remain the case much longer. She didn't intend to sit back and wait.

She owed him. He and his friends had set back Paragon's genetic program by months, if not years. And he'd chosen Roslin over her. He'd pay for both those things. Juliana hadn't come up with a plan for how yet, but she would.

Now that the secret programs were safe, she could turn her attention that goal, and to getting a hold of Roslin again. Next time, she would settle for the other woman's quick death, as long as it was painful, if necessary.

Juliana was hoping to bring Roslin back into the genetic program though.

Either result would be satisfactory and provide the first step in making Jarod pay, seeing as the man had apparently developed a soft spot for Roslin.


	3. Chapter 3

_No physical action in this chapter, but lots of emotional action. Thoughts, reactions, reviews are welcome._

* * *

Jarod had been gone for about a week before Roslin found herself able to been alone in the same room with Adam, Emma, or Jesse. It still wasn't easy and she couldn't do it for long. She still flinched away if they came too close or startled her. The instinctive flash of fear was still there.

But even Roslin could see it as progress, and it made things easier on everyone. Shalimar and Brennan were able to get back to their regular duties instead of babysitting her. And the less she was afraid, the less tense things were in general.

The lab was still the worst, but Adam seemed to get that. Most of their meetings were in his office or in one of the more public spaces of Sanctuary. Roslin didn't have false memories of those places, so they were easier to deal with. Adam kept the lab time to the absolute minimum necessary. Even that was getting easier though.

At the same time things seemed to be getting a little better with Jesse, Adam, and Emma, they seemed to be go downhill with Brennan. The tall elemental had mostly avoided Roslin during the first two weeks, except when Jarod or Shal had needed his help. When Roslin did see him, especially while she was still rebuilding her mental defenses, she'd gotten a faint sense of guilt from him, though she'd never figured out why.

That guilt was still there. Roslin felt it more often, but there something else there with it recently. She didn't mean to read Brennan. Emma had told her the elemental didn't like the idea of having someone else in his head, and Roslin had already figured that out anyway. It was just that Brennan was mentally loud. She couldn't help but overhear and sense some things even when she had all her defenses up. That other something was darker than the guilt, but she couldn't identify what it was without doing something she wasn't willing to do.

Roslin did the only thing she could and avoided Brennan as much as possible. Since he seemed to be avoiding her, that seemed to work pretty well. At least as long her abilities didn't decide to fluctuate again.

Roslin pulled a mug from the cabinet and sat it on the counter. Since it was only Jesse and Adam in Sanctuary, she'd left her mental defenses slightly lowered. Brennan and the others were still out, so it was safe enough for the time being. It meant she knew when Jesse's attention left the computer. And it gave her a few minutes warning to prepare.

She would have known he was about to appear even if her defenses had been at full strength. Jesse could barely carry a tune, but over the past few weeks, he'd taken to whistling a bit of something if he so much as thought she might be nearby. It was his way of trying not to startle her, and one of the reasons she felt so guilty on the rare occasion he did anyway.

Roslin turned and leaned against the counter as he came around the corner, offering a slight smile. It wasn't much, and it was fragile, but it was real and unforced.

Jesse's blue eyes lit up a bit when he saw her. They darkened again as he took a better look at her, though the open smile never slipped from his lips. Roslin knew what he was seeing. The circles under her eyes were lighter than they had been, but they were enough to tell him she was still having nightmares. She had a feeling he was seeing more in her eyes than she wanted him too and she shifted, breaking eye contact.

His eyes narrowed and Roslin winced internally. That shift had put the empty mug in his line of sight. Damn the man for being far too observant. She hoped he'd let it drop, but she knew him too well. She closed her eyes and bit her lip as he spoke.

"Work out a little too hard this morning?"

There was no accusation in his tone, only concern and a deeper care than she had sensed before. The words were out before she really thought about them.

"Yeah, I had some thinking to do and wasn't paying attention. My shoulder's not happy, but it'll be fine in a bit."

Roslin opened her eyes just in time to see Jesse's eyebrows rise just a fraction but he just nodded slightly toward the mug on the counter.

"Here, let me get that for you." Without waiting for an answer, he stepped closer, reaching for the mug.

The problem with false memories was that, while the logical mind might know they were false, the hind-brain, the keeper of instinct, didn't. Athletes used visualization, essentially creating false memories, because a part of the brain involved in creating muscle memory acted as if the visualizations were real. That same part of the brain insisted that the false memories Juliana's pet psionic had given Roslin were real. And that meant that, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how often she reminded herself of the truth, Roslin tensed up around the three people who had been in them.

It was getting better, as real and repeated experience countered those false memories. And when she had a few seconds to prepare, she could usually talk her rational brain around to keeping control. But her instinctive, unthinking reaction to Adam, Emma, and Jesse was still fear.

That instinctive fear rose and she flinched, just slightly, but it was enough for him to notice. Jess froze for a second before backing off a couple of steps with a resigned sigh.

Roslin couldn't look at him. Rubbing her right arm, she tried to find something to say but the only words she could find were inadequate. She'd hurt him yet again. Finally she looked at him, green eyes dark.

"I'm sorry, Jess."

The words were soft and full of guilt and frustration.

* * *

Roslin was already facing my direction when I came around the corner and I smiled, glad I hadn't startled her. The small smile she was wearing made my heart skip a beat. It wasn't forced and I thought it might be the first real smile, however small, I'd seen from her in entirely too long.

Small details intruded and my smile slipped just a bit. It was obvious Roslin was still having trouble sleeping, though the circles under her eyes were much lighter than they had been. The shadows in her eyes were just as apparent though, at least for anyone who knew her. Roslin was still waging her internal battle, though she seemed to have it under control for the moment.

I realized I was probably staring and looked away, glancing toward the coffeemaker. There was an empty mug on the counter and suddenly something about the way Roslin was standing clicked. It was an effort to keep everything I wanted to say out of my voice.

"Worked out a little too hard this morning?"

I looked directly at Roslin, watching as she bit her lip, closing her eyes briefly before nodding and meeting my gaze.

"Yeah, I had some thinking to do and wasn't paying attention. My shoulder's not happy, but it'll be fine in a bit."

I felt my eyebrows go up. Roslin hadn't been in the habit of admitting it when she was hurting. That hadn't been anything new, but it had gotten worse since we'd gotten her back from Paragon. I was hoping it was a sign she was starting to be comfortable around me again. Instead of commenting on it, I nodded toward the mug.

"Here, let me get that for you."

I should have waited a second, but I didn't think. As I stepped closer and reached for the mug, Roslin flinched. It wasn't obvious, but I saw it and I froze, cursing myself, even as I tried to suppress the flash of hurt. After a few seconds, I backed up a few steps with a sigh.

I couldn't look at her for at first, and when I could, all I could see were the shadows in her eyes. I started to apologize, but Roslin beat me to it.

"I'm sorry, Jess."

I didn't have to be an empath to hear the pain in those three words. Closing my mouth on my apology, I shook my head slightly.

"It's okay, Roslin, you don't need to apologize. I understand."

I did. It still hurt, and I still hurt for her. But I did understand.

* * *

Jesse did understand. With her defenses lowered, Roslin couldn't help but feel it and hear it in his thoughts. She also felt how that flinch had hurt him. Suddenly, his understanding made her angry, her temper flaring from nowhere.

"Stop it, Jess! Just stop!"

Her sudden anger drove him back another step, even as hurt and confusion chased themselves across his face. It was clear he had no idea what had upset her.

"Stop what? Roslin, what's wrong?"

Jesse's confusion colored his voice and his mental presence, but it did nothing to ease the anger she felt. Roslin clenched her teeth, crossing to the table and putting her back to him before answering. She wasn't projecting, but her voice was tight with emotion.

"Stop being so damned understanding, Jess! You're hurt and we both know it, so stop pretending you're not!"

She heard him take a couple of steps, and a quiet clink as he set the mug down. Despite her best efforts, her back and shoulders tensed. There was a rustle of fabric, but when Jesse spoke, his voice was no closer than it had been. It was gentle and sincere, something she couldn't have missed, even without her abilities.

"You're right. It does hurt. But Roslin, it's not your fault. After what Juliana's people did to you, it would be amazing if you weren't afraid of us."

She shook her head, anger at herself leaking into her voice.

"I know those memories are false. They weren't real. I know you'd never hurt me. Hell! I feel it every day, Jess! I should be over it by now."

There was silence for several long seconds.

* * *

"I know those memories are false. They weren't real. I know you'd never hurt me. Hell! I feel it every day, Jess! I should be over it by now."

The pain, frustration, and anger in Roslin's voice hit me before the words themselves registered. The words stunned me into silence. Leaning back against the counter, I crossed my arms and thought before answering. Roslin was so tense she was practically shaking, and I didn't want to make things worse.

Yes, it was frustrating and it hurt when she shied away, but I hadn't been lying. I was amazed she'd come as far as she had so far. It had never occurred to me, or to any of us, I think, that Roslin might think she wasn't making progress fast enough. Somehow I had to make her see how far she'd come in a short time. And I needed to pick my words carefully.

"Roslin, think about it for a minute. Just a couple of weeks ago, you couldn't stay in the same room with Adam, Emma, or me - Even if Brennan and Shal were there too. Now you can be alone with each of us for a little while. That's huge progress in just a few weeks. Let your body catch up with what your mind already knows."

Mentally, I was pleading with her to believe me. Somehow I managed to keep my voice calm and reasonable. I didn't realize I'd been holding my breath until I saw her shoulders sag a bit as some of the tension drained away. Still, Roslin didn't say anything as she almost collapsed into a nearby chair, her back still to me.

I turned and filled her mug, adding the cream and sugar she usually took and then debated with myself for a minute. Picking up the mug, I circled the table instead of coming up behind her. I slid the mug across the table as I took the seat across from her.

"Don't beat yourself up, Roslin. Even Adam and Jarod expected it to take longer for you to get over what happened than it has. Yeah, it hurts, but I know you're working to get past it. It's okay."

Roslin kept her eyes on the table, or maybe the mug. I couldn't really tell. I was hoping for a response, some indication I'd gotten through to her, but it didn't seem I was going to get one. I sighed as I got to my feet, stopping as Roslin finally raised her head and looked at me. Her eyes were suspiciously bright, and she blinked once or twice.

"Thank you, Jess."

She believed me, at least a bit. But that wasn't what kept me frozen to the spot for a brief moment. Her left hand brushed my arm, the touch feather light, before she broke eye contact, hand and eyes returning to her mug.

I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth. That touch left me speechless. Roslin hadn't been demonstrative before she'd been grabbed. Since she'd been back, she'd actively avoided any physical contact outside of the dojo. As fleeting as it had been, it was the first time Roslin had initiated any kind of contact. It was a huge step on her part, though I wasn't about to point that out to her at the moment. Nor was I going to take the chance of ruining the moment by returning that touch.

I took a deep breath, trying to put at least some of my feelings in order in case she sensed them. I wanted Roslin to know I realized she was thanking me for more than the coffee.

"You're welcome, Roslin."

I nodded and gave her an understanding smile before leaving her to her thoughts. As I settled in front of my computer, I couldn't help but believe that Roslin had turned a major corner in her recovery.

* * *

Roslin watched from the corner of her eye as Jesse left the kitchen. She wasn't sure she believed what he'd said, but she'd wanted to ease some of the hurt he'd been feeling. She wanted him know that she did trust him, despite her instinctive reactions.

He deserved more than she'd given him, but that light touch had been the best she could do. Still, it was more than she'd been able to offer over the past weeks. Could he be right? Was she being too hard on herself?

It didn't make her feel much better, but it did help a bit. If Jess was right, maybe she was finally starting to get past it all.

She felt the others when they entered the garage. It gave her enough time to get her mental and emotional defenses up. She could still sense Brennan a bit, but his emotions and thoughts were muted to a point where she could tune him out, so to speak. Emma was with him, so he was actually shielding at least his emotions, and that helped too.

She was still uneasy about the idea of being around everyone, but it didn't seem quite so bad for some reason. Was it another indication that Jess was right?

Roslin hoped so.

Maybe it was time to to try joining the others for dinner again. She'd only attempted it a few times, and those had all been relatively recent. They'd all been awkward for the few minutes she'd managed to stick around - everyone else doing their best not to move too fast, talk too loud, trying not to startle her, and her trying desperately not to be startled. Despite everyone's efforts, she hadn't managed to make it more than five or ten minutes before it became too much and she'd had to leave the table.

If Jess was right, and she was making more progress than she thought, maybe tonight would be different. She wouldn't know unless she tried.


	4. Chapter 4

_I'm going to keep posting the completed chapters on schedule, but the chapters that still need to be revised may be delayed unless I see some indication that people are actually reading this._

* * *

The encounter with Jess left Roslin feeling off balance. It was a simple matter to get to her room before the rest of the team made it into Sanctuary's main areas. For several minutes, she just leaned against the door of her room thinking.

She wasn't at all certain Jess was right, but there was no doubt he believed what he told her. Roslin wasn't about to seek Adam out and ask him. But there was someone else she could talk to. Someone who knew her better than anyone in Sanctuary. Someone she could trust to tell her the truth.

And someone she should have talked to before now.

She crossed the room to the desk and sat down. It still took a minute or two to convince herself, before her fingers switched on the monitor and typed out a string of commands.

As she waited for the connection, Roslin took a couple of deep breaths, trying to dispel the tension that was tugging at her shoulders.

"Roslin! You're looking good."

The warmth in Jarod's voice drained some of the tension away and she managed a slight smile for him.

"Hey, Jarod. Thought I'd check in."

His head tilted slightly to one side as he studied her image.

"Everything okay?"

"Why shouldn't it be?"

Roslin watched Jarod's image carefully, feeling a tinge of nervousness.

"No reason, except you haven't made a habit of calling me out of the blue."

Jarod gave her a wry smile as he raised an eyebrow, implying his answer should have been obvious.

Roslin brushed some hair out of her face, blushing slightly before answering.

"Fair enough, Jarod. You made your point."

She looked away from the monitor for a second, fidgeting with the edge of the keyboard.

"I need your thoughts, Jarod. Jesse said something this morning but I'm not sure he's right."

Dark eyes studied her through the screen and Jarod looked thoughtful.

"Whatever it was, it's obviously bothering you a great deal."

He leaned his elbows on the desk and rested his chin on folded hands.

"Talk to me, Roslin. No use in letting it twist you up inside."

She opened her mouth, but no words came. What if she was right and Jess was wrong? Considering what she was, shouldn't she have been able to adapt to this situation more quickly? After a minute, she folded her hands in front of her and swallowed, finally looking at Jarod again.

"I'm still having problems, Jarod. Jesse got too close this morning and I… I flinched away from him. I know those damn memories are fakes. I shouldn't still be reacting this way!"

Her voice had risen, her anger with herself coming out along with something else. Roslin hadn't told anyone what she was most afraid of - that the instinctive fear would never go away. She looked away for a minute, taking a deep breath and the green eyes that met Jarod's again held a hint of pleading in them. Her voice held uncertainty.

"Should I?"

Jarod didn't say anything for several minutes. He studied Roslin and she knew he was seeing and analyzing every little detail. The scrutiny made her uneasy and she dropped her gaze to the bottom of the monitor, waiting uncomfortably for his judgment. Finally he crossed his arms, elbows still resting on the desk.

"Roslin, look at me."

His voice was unusually gentle and he waited until she lifted her gaze.

"What Juliana's people did you is something we've never seen before. Adam and I didn't even try to figure out how long it would take you to work through it. There was no benchmark we could use. From what you said, you were alone with Jesse, yes?"

Roslin nodded, chewing on her lower lip, as he continued.

"I thought so. Given his prominence in those false memories, and the prior relationship the two of you had. I wouldn't expect you to be comfortable with him at this point. I'm pleasantly surprised that you can spend time alone with him, in fact."

Roslin knew he noted the surprise that flitted across her face because he leaned forward to emphasize his next words.

"You're doing better than I had hoped, Roslin. It might seem like slow progress from where you're sitting, but you're working through and past what was done to you better than I could have expected. Adam would tell you the same if you asked him. I know it's hard but this isn't something you can just adapt to. Believe me, you're doing well."

She took a shuddering breath and managed a hint of a smile.

"Jesse said I was being too hard on myself, but I was so frustrated. I couldn't be sure he really meant it."

Jarod chuckled.

"Jesse is a very intelligent man. I suspected as much even before I met him. And, Roslin, in this case, his judgment is definitely more accurate than yours. Cut yourself some slack."

She nodded slowly, her smile crooked, but growing a bit.

"Thanks, Jarod."

"No problem. Now, it looks like this has wrung you out. Get some rest. Stop trying to rush it."

He lifted a brow and pointed at her.

"And touch bases more often."

She felt her cheeks flush a bit.

"I will. I promise."

He gave her a nod and another smile then shut down the connection. Roslin stared at the blank screen for awhile, thinking about what he'd said.

Roslin took Jarod's advice, resting in the quiet of her room for most of the day. A hot shower helped relax muscles she hadn't realized were tense. There was no way she was going to be able to relax until dinner was over, but she could at least try to go in to it with as little stress as she could manage.

She got to the table a few minutes early, offering a shy smile to Adam, Shalimar, and Emma as she arrived. Jesse was only a minute or two behind her. He grinned when he saw her, giving her a nod of encouragement before taking a seat. Last to arrive was Brennan. He paused for a moment when he saw her, then slid into his seat.

Roslin built her mental walls a bit higher, just to be on the safe side.

Dinner was quiet, but not in the awkward way it had been on her previous attempts. The tension in her neck and shoulders slowly trickled away as nothing unusual happened. And as Roslin relaxed, the unconscious tension around the table seemed to drop away as well.

The others were teasing Jess as he got a second helping, as usual, when the volume inside Roslin's head suddenly went up. She was only hearing surface thoughts, but she couldn't shut any of them out and they started to overwhelm her own thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut, her fork falling to her plate as she pressed her fingers to both temples and tried to regain some measure of control.

Shalimar was the first to notice, the fork hitting Roslin's plate and Roslin's movement both catching her attention. She was sitting next to Roslin, an arrangement designed to make the other woman feel more comfortable. She leaned over, keeping her voice low.

"Are you okay, honey?"

Somehow, Roslin managed to pick the actual words out from the myriad of words in her head. She managed to shake her head softly, but that was all the answer she was capable of.

"It's her telepathy, Adam. I'm pretty sure it just mutated again." That was Emma, the words echoing the other empath's thoughts.

For several minutes, no one moved. Adam frowned, not saying anything. The rest of the team knew his first instinct was to get Roslin down to the lab so he could see what was going on, but this time he was unsure if that was the best option. Jesse's attention was fully on Roslin. He seemed on the verge of moving to help her, but he hesitated, afraid of making the situation worse. Brennan only leaned back in his chair looking vaguely annoyed.

Shalimar was the only one to take action, slipping out of her seat and moving to Roslin's side.

"Come on, hon. Let's get you to your room."

The rest of the team watched as the two women left, varying degrees of concern and frustration in their expressions.

Roslin wasn't surprised to find a message asking her to meet Adam in the lab the next morning. She was more than a bit apprehensive about it, but not for the same reasons she had been during the past few weeks. The unexpected surge in her telepathic ability the previous night caused far more discomfort than the idea of being alone in the lab with Adam.

If she was honest with herself, Roslin was afraid. Her telepathy had been erratic, in a gradual way, before Juliana grabbed her. But with Adam's and Emma's helped, she thought she'd been getting a handle on it. Ever since the team had rescued her, even that minimal control seemed to slip without any warning. When it did, her sensitivity to other people's thoughts increased. So far she'd been able to adapt her defenses to the increases, but it was getting harder each time.

When Roslin arrived at the lab, coffee in hand, Adam was waiting. Whether he knew how uneasy she was or he was involved in his work was hard to tell, but he remained at the computer on the far side of the room. He offered her a smile and nodded toward the bio-chair.

"Let's get the scan out of the way, Roslin."

Setting her coffee on the counter gave Roslin a few seconds to suppress the shudder that tried to surface. That was a small improvement from previous visits. The fact that Adam stayed on the other side of the room helped her convince herself to take a seat, as did the lack of anything even resembling visible restraints. She settled back and closed her eyes. Not much more than two minutes later, Adam spoke again.

"All done. Let's go into my office and talk."

Roslin frowned as she opened her eyes and sat up. Adam's suggestion implied he wanted to discuss something privately Even though it meant being alone in an enclosed space with him, Adam's office held none of the instinctive fear for Roslin that the lab did. The office had played no part in the false memories, so in some ways, it was easier for her to deal with. And Jess and Jarod were right, Roslin was starting to gain some control over those instinctive reactions, which helped.

She snagged her coffee, following Adam into his office. She still couldn't bring herself to sit down before he taken his seat behind his desk. It was unlikely he missed that, but to all appearances, he was studying something on his screen. A moment after she settled, he turned his full attention on her.

"So, if last night is any indication, your telepathy is still mutating. I had hoped we'd managed to stop it. It does seem to have slowed down a bit, at least. It was almost a week between fluctuations this time, unless you didn't tell me about one."

Roslin nodded. Like Adam, she'd begun to hope, after several days, that maybe the fluctuations had stopped. Obviously they'd both been wrong.

"You look like you're handling this okay, but are you really?"

Adam's eyebrow lifted and Roslin sighed. Jesse had obviously talked to Adam at some point. He wasn't going to let her gloss over things like she'd done before.

"It caught me by surprise, Adam. I think I've been able to adjust my shields to account for it, but it's getting harder."

The scientist nodded slightly, leaning back in his chair. "None of us, including Emma, heard anything, so I'm assuming it was only an increase in your sensitivity?"

Once again, Roslin nodded, knowing he wasn't trying to minimize what had happened the previous night. Most of the mutations, fluctuations, whatever they called them, over the past few weeks had been increases in her sensitivity. About a third of them had involved the projecting side of her ability though. Those, though fewer, bothered Roslin far more. The last thing she wanted was for everyone else to know what was going on inside her head.

Adam tapped steepled fingers against his chin for a few seconds before sitting up and meeting Roslin's eyes.

"I'd like to bring someone else in to help."

Somehow, she managed to keep the spurt of fear she felt from showing, but she couldn't keep the uncertainty out of her expression or her voice. "Someone else?"

Adam nodded.

"What we've tried has helped, but it hasn't stopped the changes in your ability from happening. I know someone. A telepath, but his ability is natural, like your empathy. Since your abilities affect each other and are in the same family as his, he may be able to help you build more effective defenses, even though your telepathy is due to manipulation."

Roslin sat back, breaking eye contact. She tried to consider Adam's words logically, pushing her initial emotional response to them aside as best she could. Based on what she and Adam had learned, both before and since her ordeal, natural mutations were similar to ones caused by manipulation, but there were differences. It was definitely within the realm of possibility that the telepath Adam wanted to bring in would be able to teach her something that would help. If not with stopping the changes, then at least with their aftermath.

After several minutes, Roslin looked at Adam again. She wasn't sure, but after the previous evening, it was obvious that the efforts she and Adam had made so far weren't as effective as they'd hoped. "Okay, Adam. But he stays out of my head."

"Not a problem, Roslin. Toby doesn't like to read people unless there's no other choice."

Adam watched her, noting the uncertainty as she fidgeted with her mug. He was surprised she'd agreed so easily.

"Go get something to eat. We're done for now. I'll set things up with Toby."

Roslin studied him for a long moment before finally nodding and leaving the office.

* * *

Adam waited patiently for Roslin to leave. In truth, he was more concerned than he'd let on. Calling someone else in was something of a last ditch effort that bothered Adam more than he cared to admit, even to himself. He couldn't get a handle on Roslin's problem and that wasn't something he was used to.

After a few minutes, he checked his personal phone book. Picking up the phone, he double checked the number and dialed.

For a minute he was afraid he was going to have to leave a message, then he heard a click.

"Logan."

"Toby, it's Adam Kane."

"Adam! It's been awhile, almost a year or so, right?"

Adam heard the recognition in Toby's voice, relieved the other man's voice remained friendly as he continued.

"I'm guessing you didn't ring me up just to catch up?"

Adam chuckled despite his concern.

"Learning to read thoughts over the phone now?"

"Nope, but it's been awhile since we last talked. What's up?"

Adam leaned back, for once not certain how to approach the subject. He settled for a basic question.

"Do you have any vacation time available?"

"Yeah, a little."

Adam could hear the frown in the other man's voice.

"I'm working for the IIB now, so I'd have to check and see if I can take it right now though."

"I'd appreciate it if you did, Toby," Adam sighed. "I've got a situation I could use your help with."

"Oh? After the help you gave me, I'd be more than happy to help if I can, but my telepathy isn't like your new mutants, remember?"

The corner of Adam's mouth quirked upward at the curiosity in Toby's voice.

"That's exactly why I need your help. I have a telepath who's ability is the result of genetic manipulation, but she's also a natural empath. The two abilities are affecting each other and her telepathy keeps fluctuating. I'm hoping since you share the same mutation family, you might be able to help her gain better control over one or both abilities."

There was a short silence as Toby thought over what Adam had told him. "It's worth a try. And to be honest, I could use a few days off. I'll see if I can get the time, but it might take as much as a week to get approval. You want me to come to Sanctuary?"

"That would probably be the best option." Adam couldn't hide the relief from his voice, though he'd hoped Toby could come sooner. Still, a week wasn't all that long. "Just give me a call when you know when you can get here. I'll make arrangements for your flight and a rental car. And Toby, thanks."

Toby must have heard something in Adam's voice because he was quick to reassure the older man. "Not a problem Adam. I owe you. And like I said, I can use a few days away from work. I'll call you when I have a date."

Adam hung up and frowned as he studied Roslin's scans. It was a frail hope - that Toby could help, and Adam wasn't about to stop trying to find a solution himself. Unfortunately, he was starting to run out of ideas.

* * *

Guilt kept me from getting much sleep after Roslin's telepathy fluctuated. I was pretty sure that what I'd said to her earlier in the day had been one of the reasons she'd come to dinner with the rest of us. And since we didn't know what was causing the fluctuations, it was more than possible the extra pressure on her defenses had triggered something.

Roslin hadn't left her room the rest of the night. I knew Adam left her a message to meet him in the lab the following morning. Probably to give her a scan and make sure everything was okay. She must have gone, because Adam didn't say anything when I ran into him later in the day. That was a relief, but Roslin's continued absence throughout the day wasn't.

I was keeping an eye on security feeds. I'd caught her returning to her room, presumably after meeting with Adam. What I hadn't seen was any indication that she'd left her room again after that - not even to grab some coffee or tea from the kitchen. I had to wonder if she was trying to avoid the rest of us. And I couldn't help but worry that the previous night's fluctuation had taken a bigger toll on her than I'd thought.

I made a concerted effort to get to bed a decent hour, hoping the previous night's lack of sleep would help me fall asleep. I should have known better. I've never needed a lot of sleep and when something's bothering me, my body usually gives in to my brain until things are resolved. After tossing and turning for almost an hour, I got up and put on some clothes. If I couldn't sleep, I might as well get some work done.

I had gotten fairly deep into some code when I realized Sanctuary wasn't as quiet and dark as it should be. It wasn't unusual for me to be up at this hour, but everyone else was usually asleep, or at least in their rooms. If Adam was up - definitely possible - he was in his office.

So why was I catching a flickering of light at the edge of my vision? And why was I just barely hearing what sounded like conversation? Frowning, though nothing unwanted could have gotten into Sanctuary without setting off the alarms, I made a few notes and saved the code I was working on. I locked the computer, stretching as I stood. The slightly higher vantage at least showed me where that flickering light was coming from - the rec/common room.

I headed downstairs, not making any effort to stay quiet. I didn't want to startle whoever was down there, especially if it was who I thought, almost hoped, it might be. As I got closer, the conversation became clearer and I recognized it. It was dialog from a movie, a romantic comedy, that Shal and Emma watched when they felt the need for some cheering up. Probably one of them couldn't sleep and decided some laughter was in order.

I came around the corner and froze, wishing I'd followed my first instinct and let myself whistle something. Roslin was curled up on the corner of the sofa. It looked like she was watching the film, but she wasn't laughing. I moved closer, to where she'd be able to see me easier and hoped I wasn't about to startle her.

"Nightmares?"

I sighed as she flinched and turned to look at me. Not unexpected, but I'd hoped I'd made enough noise that she'd been aware she wasn't the only one up and about. Wide green eyes looked at me for several seconds before Roslin took a deep breath and shook her head. "No, just couldn't sleep."

The words were barely audible over the movie, but I could still hear the distraction in them. Whatever the reason Roslin was sitting there, it wasn't to watch the movie - that was just an excuse in case someone noticed she was up. Which most likely meant that something was bothering her.

"Mind if I join you? I couldn't sleep either. Tried to get some code done, but couldn't keep my mind on it." I nodded to the sofa next to her and waited. After a moment, Roslin shrugged.

"Sure, if you want. Didn't think this would be your kind of movie."

I had to chuckle. She was right about that, though I had watched this one with both Shal and Emma, just to provide company. But since it wasn't my kind of movie, and Roslin wasn't really watching it, I didn't feel bad about talking over it.

"I've seen it." I shrugged and moved around the sofa, settling down within arm's reach of her. "Anything in particular keeping you up?"

I'm not sure if I actually expected an answer or not, but she had opened up a little the previous day.

Roslin watched me sit down, then turned her eyes toward the screen and shrugged slightly, her voice almost flat. "Adam's not happy. He asked me if he could bring someone else in to help me."

My eyebrows went up and I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. After a moment, I licked my lips and settled deeper into the sofa to think before I said anything. Roslin obviously thought Adam wasn't happy with her, but I knew better. There's nothing that bothers Adam more than not being able to help someone himself.

I could only remember a handful of times that he'd called someone else in to help him with something. It meant he was either out of his depth, a rare thing, but it had happened, or he felt like he was failing. If Adam was desperate enough to call in help from outside, he had to be running out of ideas.

Roslin was still watching the images on the screen, though I doubted she was actually seeing them. I let out a breath and kept my voice quiet.

"It's not you, Roslin. He isn't happy with himself."

Her head slowly turned toward me.

"Adam's used to being the genius. He always has the answers." I stretched, then rested my arms on the back of the sofa. "He hasn't been able to find the answers to help you and that isn't something he's used to."

She nodded, seeming to relax a little. She did uncoil a bit from the tight little ball she'd been curled up into on the corner of the sofa.

"He wouldn't bring someone in unless he was certain they could help, Roslin. And you can trust whoever it is."

Roslin managed the hint of a smile for me as she finally leaned back into the sofa.

"Thanks, Jess. That helps."

My fingers were inches from her head. I wanted to stroke her hair, reassure her. Hell, I wanted to hold her until she felt safe. It was the last thing I could do though. She could barely bring herself to touch me the previous day and that was a ten times improvement over how things had been. My fingers tightened on the back of the sofa, but I resisted the temptation, instead turning my mind back to what Roslin had told me. I couldn't help but wonder who it was that Adam had asked for help, but I knew the list had to be very short.

I blinked a bit later to find the movie was half over, and Roslin was asleep - or as close to it as mattered. Even in that state, the stress she was under was visible in her expression and my heart went out to her. This time I made no effort to stop myself as my fingers brushed her hair lightly.

She didn't react. I didn't stop. Not until she made a small sound and shifted. I froze, ready to pull my hand away. But Roslin didn't wake or pull away. Her head leaned into my hand, just slightly. I closed my eyes as I resumed stroking her hair, wondering who was doing the same in her sleeping mind.

By the time the movie ended, Roslin was leaning against me. The arm I'd been resting on the back of the sofa was wrapped around her. I couldn't recall when or how it had happened and I was almost afraid to move. I was more afraid not to. I knew if Roslin woke up, her instinctive reaction would be fear. And I was pretty sure it wouldn't do anything good for the trust she was starting to regain in me.

I pondered the situation while the credits ran. The best option seemed, to me, to be to try to get her to bed without waking her up. She was, to all appearances, deeply asleep. I might just be able to pull it off.

I shifted enough to get my other arm under her and then stood up slowly. Roslin moved, laying her head on my chest, then settled. I thought, for just a minute, my heart was going to pound its way out of my chest, or at the very least wake her up. It did neither.

It only took a couple of minutes to get to her room. Hands full, I phased through the door and crossed the room. I laid her on the bed and straightened up with a soft sigh. Roslin mumbled something as she turned on her side and then settled. I couldn't help myself. I reached out and brushed some hair from her face, watching her for several minutes before I convinced myself to leave.

I had a feeling I was going to have another sleepless night, though for very different reasons.


	5. Chapter 5

A bit of conflict and tension in this chapter...

* * *

Adam listened to the message again, debating with himself. It wasn't an unusual message - a new mutant wanting to enter the Underground. Something about it was making him uneasy. It could have been that things had been relatively quiet. Maybe it was because he wasn't making any progress in helping Roslin. Maybe it was just because it was time sensitive. That left Shalimar, and if Adam wanted to run the computers himself, Jesse.

Brennan was out restocking safe-houses. Emma was staying overnight with another empath, helping the other mutant adjust to a genetic growth spurt. And Shalimar was a little too eager for some action. She'd only talk Jesse into a more hands-on approach than Adam was feeling comfortable with. Jesse was feeling just enough frustration at the moment to let her do it.

Adam brought up a satellite map of the location the new mutant had specified. It didn't ease his mind. It was an industrial area with entirely too many ways in and out, and almost no camera coverage on the ground. It wasn't a high traffic area, but it wasn't deserted or derelict either.

Shalimar's feral abilities would tell her if there were other people around, but they wouldn't tell her whose side they were on. Normally, he would have sent Emma along. The tele-empath would be able to read the feelings of anyone around. She also tended to have a calming affect on her feral friend.

Of course, there was another empath in Sanctuary. One that was a telepath as well. The question was whether or not Roslin could control her abilities well enough for the task. If Emma was right, the most recent fluctuation had hurt Roslin's confidence in her control.

That very vulnerability might be exactly what he needed though. Shalimar had something of a soft spot for Roslin. Roslin could, even from the Double Helix, tell if the meet was safe. If Shalimar could be convinced she needed to keep an eye on Roslin, it might temper her usual tendency to jump into the middle of things.

It wasn't a perfect solution, and Adam knew he was going to hear about it later from various members of his team. It did cover his major areas of concern though. And it had the additional benefit of giving Roslin something to do that would help her feel useful. It might keep her from fretting over her place at Sanctuary for a little while. He'd have Jesse monitor - there wasn't anyone on the team that would keep a better eye on both Shalimar and Roslin.

Double checking his information, Adam left his office. He activated his com-link, asking Shalimar to meet him at Roslin's room. He reached his destination before the feral and knocked on the door. He was about to knock again when Roslin answered. She looked wary, frowning a bit as Shalimar came around the corner to join them.

"I have a job for the two of you, if you're up to it, Roslin. May we come in?"

Adam offered the woman a slight smile, waiting for Roslin to open the door enough to admit them. It didn't take long, just a few seconds, but it seemed longer. Finally, Roslin nodded and swung the door open, motioning toward the single chair and her bed. Adam took a look around the room as he crossed to the chair, noting the lack of personal items. It was difficult to tell the same person had been occupying the room for two months. Breathing a silent sigh, he settled into the chair as Shalimar folded herself cross-legged on the bed. Roslin closed the door, then turned to lean against it, arms crossed over her chest.

"Thank you, Roslin. We have a new mutant requesting to be put in the Underground. Something about the contact just isn't sitting right with me though. I want you two to take the Double Helix out to meet him."

"Why me?" The question was asked quietly, but Roslin's expression held a hint of stubbornness. "Shalimar can handle pretty much any problem on her own. I don't see how I could help her."

Adam took a deep breath, brown eyes meeting Roslin's green.

"My instincts are telling me this is a trap. I could be wrong. But you can read anyone who shows up. If it is a set up, you and Shalimar will know without ever having to leave the Helix. It's well within your abilities, Roslin."

Shalimar bristled at the implication she might not be able to handle a relatively simple meet, but Adam gestured slightly, letting her know he'd explain later. Roslin was working through his reasoning, but a small frown played around her lips.

"You're taking a chance. I might lose control of my powers."

"You might, but even if you do, I don't believe you'll lose complete control, Roslin. You haven't yet. And Jesse will be monitoring the whole thing."

He meant what he said, and did his best to project that so that Roslin would pick it up, even without reading him. After a moment, Roslin looked at Shalimar and the feral grinned, raising an eyebrow and shrugging. "If nothing else, you can keep me from getting bored on the flight, hon."

* * *

Roslin and Shalimar were well on their way to the meet location by the time Brennan got back to Sanctuary. He went searching for Shal first, but found Jesse instead. The molecular was just bringing up the few cameras in the area as he filled Brennan in on the situation. The taller man's jaw clenched and he stormed straight to Adam's office.

Adam was was closing some files down, getting ready to join Jess, when Brennan barged into his office without so much as knocking. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and observing the elemental. At the same time, he was remembering a time when no one wanted to barge into his office and almost wishing that were still the case.

"Adam, how much longer is our guest staying?" The elemental sounded exasperated.

Adam frowned and nodded at the chair in front of his desk. "Until it's safe for her to leave, Brennan. I though we were all clear on that. Sit down."

As the younger man threw himself into the chair, Adam finished shutting things down. He took a brief moment to check in with Jesse, asking the molecular to keep him apprised if anything unexpected happened at the meet.

"I thought we were all clear on why Roslin is still here, Brennan. Her telepathy is still fluctuating - you saw that yourself the other night. Both Paragon and the GSA are still actively looking for her." Adam frowned again, studying the other man. "Is there a problem I'm not aware of?"

Brennan shook his head, picking at the upholstery, brown eyes not meeting Adam's.

"No. No problem." He shrugged. "We've never had anyone here this long. I guess it's just weird. She's not a team member and she doesn't really have a job here. It's kind of odd having another psionic around too."

Mutant X's leader relaxed a bit. Something about Roslin was bothering Brennan enough that he felt he needed to get his feelings on record, but it wasn't anything specific. The elemental wasn't really looking for anything to change, at least not yet.

"She may not have an official job, but she is helping out. A lot of the information we've been acting on is the product of her efforts. And her cooperation has given me a few new leads on what to watch for in your mutations."

Brennan still looked unconvinced, but he wasn't protesting.

""Things may seem even stranger in a few days. Roslin won't be the only visitor we have for a bit."

That got Brennan's attention and he finally met Adam's gaze. It spoke well that he managed to keep his voice casual. "Anyone we know?"

Adam shook his head, a small part of him wondering how Shalimar and Jesse would react when they found out. "No. I asked a friend to come help with Roslin's telepathy. He's a natural telepath and I helped him out a few years before you and Emma joined Mutant X. He lives up in Canada."

Brennan looked like he'd just tasted something bitter, but the expression was gone a split second later. "Well, if he can help Roslin, we can all get back to our regular lives. I'm gonna go wait for Shal to get back."

Adam nodded as Brennan pushed himself out of the chair and headed for the door. He sat there, thinking for several minutes, certain, somehow, that Brennan's visit was just the beginning of something. Finally he activated the comm system and contacted Jesse. "How'd the meet go, Jess?"

"It didn't." The two words were a bit flat, but Jesse's voice warmed up as he continued. "Shal kept the Helix in stealth mode as planned and landed on the roof. Roslin barely had to lower her defenses. It was a GSA trap. The caller really was a new mutant, but he was working for Eckhart." Jess paused for a moment. "The girls are on their way back now. Sounds like Roslin has a wicked headache, but she didn't have any control issues."

"Good. Ask her to come see me when they get back. I want to run a scan just to be on the safe side."

"Will do, Adam." Adam could hear Jess talking to someone else, then the younger man was back. "Hey Adam, what's up with Brennan. He seems kind of pissed off."

Adam sighed, wishing he had the answer to that question himself. "I'm not sure Jess. Maybe he's just annoyed he had to restock the safe-houses by himself."

"If you say so. I think I'm going to stay out of his way for awhile though."

"I'm sure he'll be fine once Shalimar is back." Adam couldn't help chuckle a little. Brennan and Shalimar were attracted to each other, but they were trying to hide it from everyone else. It didn't take a genius to see the signs, but everyone else was playing along and pretending they didn't notice.

"Gotcha. I'll pass along the message to Roslin when the girls get back. After that, I think I might spend some time down in the dojo."

"Thanks Jess."

* * *

Roslin slipped into the lab with a grimace. All she wanted to do was go to her room and lay down. The headache she'd gotten reading people around the meet location had grown into a near migraine by the time she and Shalimar had gotten back.

It wasn't helped by the fact that Brennan was back and not bothering to shield his thoughts and feelings. He wasn't actively projecting them, but he was loud, mentally and emotionally. The only time he even made an effort to mute his feelings was when Emma was around. Building up her defenses enough to block him out completely would guarantee the headache became a migraine. Roslin was beginning to wonder if she was going to end up with one anyway.

At least the lab was shielded. It made things a little easier. Roslin knew the EM shield wasn't always up, but Adam made certain, whenever he was expecting her, that it was up. The older man hadn't arrived yet, so Roslin took a seat on the bio-chair, leaning back and closing her eyes. Hopefully the headache would ease some before he showed up because she didn't really feel like talking about it.

Roslin managed to relax by the time Adam arrived. She opened her eyes and offered him a slight smile and shrug as he crossed to the computer.

"No problems with your sensitivity out at the meet location?"He glanced over to watch her expression.

Roslin sighed but shook her head slightly, relieved the headache didn't flare when she did so. "None. It was a little hard to keep my defenses mostly up and there were about a dozen people, but no problems."

"That's a good sign." Adam smiled before glancing at the computer and inputting the command to start the EDD scan. "If we can get the fluctuations under control, you shouldn't have any trouble handling your telepathy."

She nodded, closing her eyes as the scan ran it's course, knowing he was going to see certain things on the scan and ask. "It did give me a headache. I don't know how much of that was how high I was trying to keep my defense up though."

Adam studied the scan results for a moment. "Everything looks good. The scan shows a bit more electrical activity in your brain than normal, but that's to be expected. It's probably what's causing the headache." He looked at her and smiled. "Go get some rest. That should get rid of the headache, Roslin."

"Thanks, Adam." Roslin stood up and headed for the door, only to stop when Adam called her name again.

"Oh, Roslin. Toby should be here in four or five days."

Roslin paused at the door, turning to look at Adam. The uncertainty was back in her eyes. "He will? I mean…" Roslin's words trailed off as she realized she wasn't even certain what she was trying to say.

Adam nodded, leaning against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. "It's okay, Roslin. I understand. Toby's a good guy. He understands what's going on, so don't let it stress you out."

She stood in the doorway for a few more seconds before nodding and heading back to her room.

* * *

Roslin disappeared to her room after meeting Adam for the scan he wanted. Adam didn't emerge from the lab. Shalimar found Brennan and they headed down to the garage together. Something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on it, so did what I usually did. I pulled up one of my more complex projects and lost myself in the code for a time.

When I surfaced, several hours later, I knew Sanctuary was asleep, or as close as it gets. When you keep hours like mine, you learn to recognize the little sounds that could only be heard after everyone went to sleep. I should probably have headed to bed myself, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep. My mind was still mulling over bits and pieces from this afternoon.

It was quiet enough that I heard the click as someone turned on the stove. That was enough to give me a pretty good idea who it was. Brennan and Adam both tended to stick to coffee. Shal usually grabbed a bottle of water. And Emma wouldn't be back until morning. That left Roslin, who, by all rights, should have been sleeping the sleep of the exhausting.

I didn't take a chance this time, whistling a snatch of tune before I turned the corner into the kitchen. I was glad I had when Roslin turned toward me, her eyes a touch wider than normal. She nodded, pulling a mug from the cabinet and filling a tea infuser with one of her teas.

"Thought you'd be sleeping off that headache."

She sighed and shrugged, facing the stove. "I was. Then I woke up." There was a slight quaver in her voice and tension in her posture that made me think there was more to it. Especially since she was brewing one of her teas. The kettle started to whistle and she pulled it from the burner. After flipping the burner off, she poured the hot water into her mug, not looking at me until she turned to take a seat at the table.

I moved farther into the kitchen, leaning against the counter in front of the coffeemaker. I tried to put as much understanding into my voice as I could. "Nightmare?"

Roslin ducked her head, lifting the mug and blowing across the liquid before nodding slightly.

Something wasn't right. I didn't know what, but I did know that Roslin usually kept those nightmares to herself and somehow, she seemed more fragile than she had the past few days. "Want to talk about it?"

I thought she was going to say something, but then she shook her head and downed the tea, grimacing at the taste and probably scorching her tongue. If it wasn't the nightmare that was bothering her, it had to be something else. "Roslin," I tried to catch her eye, but she was studying her mug. "I can see something's bothering you. Something other than the nightmare. Talk to me."

She shook her head slightly, but finally looked at me, eyes reflecting a certain weariness I hadn't seen since we first met. Her voice reflected that same weariness. "I'm just tired, Jess. It's hard keeping everyone out all the time."

Why did I get the feeling she wasn't talking about her abilities? Or was that just wishful thinking on my part? I didn't know, but I didn't think she was done yet and whatever else Roslin might say might tell me, so I just listened.

"It's not like I can lean on someone else when I'm not certain of my powers. You all make up for each other's weaknesses…"

There it was. And it was something Roslin didn't know how to fix because she had been forced to rely on only herself for all too long. The question was whether or not she was ready, recovered enough from what Paragon had done to her, to be able to lean on someone else, even briefly.

I knew who I wanted her to lean on. I'd suspected for awhile, even though I hadn't let myself admit it. The other night had just confirmed it. I just wasn't certain if she could, or if maybe there was someone else she wanted to comfort her. Still, no matter how much Roslin had healed, she wasn't ready to ask. I decided it was worth the risk. "You can lean on me, Roslin. I won't hurt you. I promise."

I saw the beginning of tears as she bit her lip. I wanted to step across the space between us and wrap her in my arms until she knew she didn't have to be alone. And I knew how wrong a move that would be. She was rebuilding her trust in me and the others. It had to be her decision. I did push away from the counter, taking just one step closer to her and spread my arms slightly to either side. I was afraid to say anything at all.

"Just…" I could hear the sobs trying to come out as she spoke. "Would you just hold me for a minute, Jess?"

I swallowed and nodded before realizing she wouldn't see it. "Come here. I'll hold you as long as you want, Roslin."

She stumbled the few steps to me, catching herself with arms around my waist. I gave her a moment to regain her balance and then gently wrapped my arms around her. She went rigid for a split second, then her shoulders sagged and she hid her face against my chest.

God it felt so freaking right to have her there. I raised a hand and stroked her hair, murmuring reassurances as she cried quietly. As much as I wanted it to last, I knew it wouldn't.

So I kept alert for the little signs that would tell me Roslin was starting to feel uncomfortable. I expected them sooner than they appeared. She'd stopped crying, resting, relaxed, in my arms for several minutes before I detected tension starting to build in her back and shoulders.

I didn't want to let her go. I didn't want her going back to an empty room. But that wasn't what she'd asked from me. I took a deep breath, stroking her hair one last time, then placed both hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face the stairs. My voice was rough, but I was hoping she was tired enough to miss it.

"Go get some sleep, Roslin. I'll clean up."

I gave her a little push. It was a measure of how tired she was that she didn't protest or hesitate. It was a measure of the turmoil inside me, that I stood frozen for several minutes after she disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

_Time for some action - and a little more angst and emotion_

* * *

The mission had gone wrong from the start, though it was nothing Mutant X couldn't handle. All four team members were out there, with Adam and Roslin monitoring. It should have been relatively simple and they'd expected the GS agents. That was why all four had gone. They hadn't planned on running into members of the Strand at the same time. And so they got caught in the crossfire.

Adam told them to abort the mission, and they had. They were well on their way out of the three-way fight when Brennan's electrical arc missed its target. That target, a GS agent, proceeded to tackle Jesse from behind, slamming the molecular into a brick wall. Without warning to brace himself, or use his abilities, his head impacted the wall first.

Roslin and Adam heard the impact, and Jesse's grunt of surprise and pain over the open comm channel. Roslin watched Adam run a hand over his jaw as the sounds over comm channel became chaos. By the time Brennan's voice came through, the scientist was pacing.

"We're clear, but Jess is out, Adam. He hit that wall pretty hard."

"Get back here ASAP, Brennan. The med-lab will be ready."

Brennan acknowledged the order then closed down the connection. Roslin looked to Adam, but he was already headed for the lab. She sighed and chewed on her lip for a minute before coming to a decision. She knew she wasn't going to be able to pick anything up at the current distance, but she lowered her defenses anyway. She didn't have a long range and it wasn't likely she'd get anything before they got back, but she kept trying.

* * *

By the time the Double Helix was on final approach Roslin and Adam were both waiting. Adam hardly waited for the aircraft's door to open, but Roslin stayed behind, standing next to the hanger's computer station. As the Helix had entered the hanger, she finally got something and it had nearly floored her.

Emma was trying to project calm for everyone and soothe Jesse, who was conscious if not coherent. Shalimar was in full 'mama lion' mode even though all she could do for the time being was watch over Jesse. And Brennan was pissed - at himself, at the GS agent, and even a bit at Jesse. He was also worried and feeling guilty.

By the time Roslin had sorted out everyone else's thoughts and feelings, Adam was already aboard the Helix, evaluating Jesse's condition. A headache was forming between her eyes, but Roslin wasn't sure if it was hers, or if she was picking it up from Jess. His emotions were erratic, his thoughts dazed. It reminded Roslin uncomfortably of the concussion she'd had.

She got so caught up in reading Jess that it barely registered as the others passed her. Shalimar and Brennan were supporting the molecular between them, but at least he was conscious and walking. They disappeared through the door into Sanctuary proper before Roslin was able to get herself moving in the same direction. It would have helped if she was able to get her mental defenses back in place, but the intensity of the team's feelings and thoughts, combined with the erratic and dazed input she was getting from Jess made it almost impossible.

So she stumbled along in the others' wake, at least until they got to the lab. Stopping a few steps from the door, she tried once again to center and bring her defenses back up. The effort brought tears to her eyes and she turned away from the door. She wanted, needed, to be in the lab with the others. To know Jess was going to be okay. But if she couldn't deal with the emotions and thoughts from out here, there was no chance she'd be able to do it in there. Roslin fled for her room, hoping the EM field around it would allow her to center and re-establish her defenses.

* * *

It took far more time than Roslin liked to get herself focused and rebuild her mental and emotional defenses. Even when she had, she was hesitant to leave her room and the protection of the EM shield around it. Eventually, she did venture out, though only as far as kitchen for a cup of one of her teas.

That was where Emma found her, brooding over a cup of one her special teas. The Mutant X tele-empath didn't say anything at first. She made her own cup of tea, then settled into a seat catty corner to Roslin. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke.

"Jesse's going to be fine. He's got a slight concussion and some bruises, but that's it. He'll be going stir crazy long before Adam lets him back on full duty."

Roslin looked at the other woman gratefully and nodded. As much as she was grateful for the update, she was worried about Jesse. Unfortunately, she didn't quite trust her control over her abilities at that moment. She'd really rather be alone, but she was afraid the others would think she didn't care. Things were already awkward enough without that added into the mix.

"You're projecting, Roslin. Not much, but you are." Emma's voice was soft. "Did your powers just fluctuate again?"

Roslin frowned, setting her cup down deliberately and pushed to her feet. "Sorry Emma. Tell Jess I hope he's feeling better. I think I better go back to my room."

Emma watched the other woman leave, eyes dark with concern. She lingered a few more minutes before finishing her own tea and placing both cups in the sink. She'd vaguely felt Roslin's turmoil when they'd gotten back, but shed been focused on Jesse at the time, so it hadn't really registered. Now that she'd gotten a more definite feel for it, it was time to talk to Adam. And to let Jess know why Roslin was playing "least in sight" for now.

* * *

Adam kept me in the lab overnight, just to be on the safe side. Not my idea of fun. He was nice enough to warn me before I left that he'd set a lock on my account on Sanctuary's systems. Damn the man.

I was going stir crazy within a few hours. Despite a slight headache, the occasional dizzy spell, the tendency for my vision to blur if I looked at something for too long, I wasn't inclined to just rest in my room. I had work to do.

Unfortunately, Adam wasn't inclined to let me do it. He'd set the lockout at one hour which prevented me from getting any real research or work done. I could have borrowed someone else's login, but then I wouldn't have access to my projects, so it was pointless.

If I couldn't get any work done, maybe someone else could. I needed information, and other people could gather that. I logged in and accessed my email along with a couple of folders. Sorting through the folders, I compressed three files and attached them to a new email. Explaining what they were and why I was sending them took a few minutes. I had to blink a few times to clear my vision as I reviewed the text. Satisfied, I pressed send.

Maybe Broots had found something in his searches, or could use the information I'd just sent him to find something. Jarod had put us in touch, but we hadn't really had much of a chance to exchange information. He had different resources and different methods than I did, so maybe if we were both working on the problem of how to bring Paragon, and Juliana, down, we'd get somewhere. That's what I was hoping anyway.

I'd added a request for all of Roslin's files, though I didn't know how it would be received. I was more than a little afraid of what she might think about if she found out. Something told me that someone here at Sanctuary needed to be aware of what they contained.

Leaning back in my chair, I closed my eyes. Maybe Adam was right about taking it easy, but I couldn't just lay in bed and do nothing. Especially not with the recent breaks in Roslin's composure - I hadn't mentioned them to anyone else. That would have been abuse of the trust she was regaining in me, and I wasn't willing to risk that. Especially since Emma had told me why Roslin was hiding out in her room.

Opening my eyes, I sat up and logged off the computer. Food was in order, then maybe a nap. I wanted to be getting things done, but I had enough experience from past injuries to know that rest, or at least not pushing myself too much, was the way to speed my recovery. It was the smart thing to do, though that didn't change what I wanted to do.


	7. Chapter 7

_Conflict within the team is starting to come to a head, straining relationships and tempers..._

* * *

Roslin kept to herself. She had to. The pressure on her mental shields was too much, especially when Jesse's frustrations were added to it.

A good night's sleep left her feeling better. It helped that Shalimar and Brennan were gone by the time she got up. She ventured out of her room to spend an hour in the dojo. The remnants of the prior day's headache helped remind her not to overdo it this time. They also had her reaching for her tea instead of coffee when she finally made it to the kitchen. She was sitting at the table, thinking, when an off-tune whistle floated up the stairs.

Roslin smiled slightly. Jess was obviously feeling better. She appreciated his effort to not startle her, though it wasn't necessary at the moment. With Brennan and Shalimar out, Emma either in her room or the meditation room, Roslin had let her defenses down a bit. Jess' surface thoughts were clear and there was only a hint of frustration in the emotions she got from him. Even though she'd known where he was, she was still grateful for the effort.

"Hey, Jess." Her smile grew a bit and, for a change, it felt almost natural.

Jess grinned back, quickening his stride up the last of the stairs now that he knew he wasn't going to startle her. He made straight for the coffeemaker, pouring himself a mug and settling back against the counter.

"Didn't get a chance to mention it the other day. Good job. You saved Shal a few bruises, and maybe something worse."

Roslin shrugged, looking a bit uncomfortable. "It's nice to be able to help. I feel like I've been taking advantage of Adam and you guys."

A frown creased Jesse's forehead. "Taking advantage of us? I don't think any of feel that way, Roslin. You're still recovering, and you've helped out more than once."

She started to say something and stopped. After a few seconds, Roslin took a sip of her tea and set the mug down. "Not everyone feels the way you do, Jess."

Jesse set his mug down and crossed to the table, sliding into the seat across from her. His expression was thoughtful. "Umm, Adam does. I do. Shal said as much after you guys got back. So if someone doesn't feel the same, it would have to be either Emma or Brennan. Neither one of them has said anything. At least, not to me."

Roslin wrapped both hands around her mug, feeling Jesse's eyes on her. Her words were soft, hardly audible where he sat. "Brennan doesn't want me here."

"What do you mean? Roslin, have you been reading him?"

She shook her head slightly, still not looking at him. "I don't have to. He's loud."

"Roslin?" It was in his voice, and emotions. Jesse didn't understand what she meant.

"Brennan's emotions and thoughts are loud, Jess. The only way I can completely shut him out is to build my defenses so high it gives me a migraine." She shrugged, fidgeting with her mug. "He doesn't even try to shield his thoughts or emotions. Not unless Emma is nearby."

Jesse's blue eyes hardened and there was more than a little anger in his voice. "I'll talk to him. He's not used to having to shield his thoughts and probably just needs a reminder."

Roslin shook her head and finally looked up at her companion. "Don't say anything, Jess. Please?"

"Roslin, it's obviously causing you problems. Brennan was told, just like the rest of us, that he needed to keep his mental shields up."

"Jess, please. Brennan resents my being here. It will only cause trouble if you say anything to him."

Jess started drumming the fingers of his right hand on the table, anger glinting in his eyes. "He's got no reason to resent you, Roslin. If he thinks he does, he needs a talking to."

A sigh escaped Roslin's lips and she reached out with a tentative hand, laying it over his and stilling his fingers. "Jess, he doesn't even realize he resents me yet. He will, probably before too much longer, but right now its completely subconscious. If you say something to him, he'll just deny it and it'll be completely truthful as far as he's concerned."

Jesse froze. That touch told him just how important Roslin considered what she was telling him. Maybe she right. But that didn't mean he still couldn't do something about the situation. It just meant he couldn't talk to Brennan about it. After a moment, he nodded, blowing out a breath and trying smooth some of the anger from his expression. "Okay. If that's what you think is best, I'll leave it for now."

"Thank you, Jess." Roslin gave his hand a slight squeeze before withdrawing her own and wrapping it around her mug again.

"I'm going to go try to get some work done. Adam's still got the system set to log me out after an hour." Jess shot a lopsided grin at her as he stood.

He'd just refilled his mug when Roslin spoke again, her voice strained. "Shal and Brennan are back."

He looked over his shoulder at her, but she didn't see it. Her head was bowed over her mug, fingers massaging her temples. "He's that loud to you?"

Roslin nodded slightly without looking at him. "When my defenses are lowered, yeah. Makes it hard to get them back up."

"Roslin, at least let me remind him?" Jess grabbed his mug, speaking as he circled the table to stand just behind her and set the mug on the table next to her.

She shook her head, but it was clear she was in pain. Jesse laid a hand lightly on her shoulder, ready to back off if she reacted badly. He felt her muscles tense under his hand but she inhaled and most of the tension flowed away as she exhaled. Jess gave a mental sigh of relief and began gently massaging her shoulders and neck without saying anything.

* * *

Brennan's voice filtered into the silence long before he entered Sanctuary proper. Maybe it was remains of the concussion, but I hadn't realized before just how loud my friend could be. If his voice was that loud, there was a good chance Roslin hadn't been exaggerating about his how loud his mental presence was. No wonder she had a headache.

It only took a few minutes for Brennan to make his way to the kitchen. Shal had apparently gone her own way because he was alone. Roslin's head bowed a bit more, and I could feel her trembling under my hands.

"Hey Jess!" Bren's voice was hearty and it was clear he was generally in a good mood. Spending time with Shal did that to him. Unfortunately, he made no effort to keep his voice down, even after he'd taken in the scene. I squeezed Roslin's shoulders gently.

"Bren." I did keep my voice down, hoping Brennan would take the hint. He didn't. He almost bounced on his toes as he took the last couple of stairs into the kitchen. Going straight to the fridge, he pulled out something to drink even as he spoke.

"Shal and I are going clubbing tonight. You want to come, bro?"

I had to fight to keep the frown from my face. Bren seemed to have forgotten I was still on restricted duty - there was no way Adam would have let me go clubbing, even if I'd wanted to. And Brennan was completely ignoring Roslin. I managed a slight smile as I looked at him. "Not tonight, Bren. My head's still bothering me some. Flashing lights and loud music probably aren't a good idea."

I finally caught his eye and dropped my gaze to Roslin. She hadn't moved, hadn't given Bren any more attention than he'd given her, but it clear she wasn't feeling well.

"Your loss, bro." He took a drink from his soda. "Hey Roslin, you know you're welcome to join us too."

Even without Roslin's empathy, I could sense the insincerity in his offer. I felt her take a deep breath, then she lifted her head and gave him a wan, half-hearted smile. "Thanks for the offer Brennan, but I've been fighting a migraine all day, so maybe next time."

Bren shrugged. Roslin had already dropped her head and didn't see it, but even I could sense his relief at her answer. Whatever the reasons, it looked like Roslin was right about how Brennan felt.

Bren disappeared as quickly as he'd arrived, leaving us in silence. I kept my touch gentle, surprised Roslin hadn't shied away. It took a few minutes for her to stop trembling and I felt the tension starting to build in the muscles under my hands. I stepped back, grabbing my coffee and rounding the table to sit across from her.

Roslin raised her head and offered me a fragile, but genuine, smile, making me glad I'd stopped when I did. It was easy to see the tightness around her eyes, and truth be told, I had a slight headache himself. Glancing at the clock, I came to a quick decision.

It was past lunch time. Getting up, I fixed us both something to eat. I looked at Roslin for a few seconds as I set the plate down in front of her. I had no intention of letting her leave until she ate something. She gave me a long look in return, but did turn her attention to the food. I'd finished a second helping before Roslin finished picking at her meal. I had no intention of giving her a hard time about it though - she'd managed to eat more than half of what I'd put on her plate and that was more than I'd expected giving the way she was feeling.

After dumping both plates in the sink to deal with later, I pulled a bottle from the fridge. Popping the cap, I slid the beer in front of her, exchanging it for her nearly empty mug. "Take that to your room, Roslin. Grab a hot shower, take a nap - whatever you need to do to relax a little. Adam's friend will be here in a couple of days and I have a feeling you're going to busy once he arrives."

It was an indication of how much the encounter with Brennan had cost her that Roslin didn't even attempt to protest. I knew it and it worried me as I watched her head down the stairs. I'd promised not to say anything to Brennan - though the way the elemental had completely ignored her at first made me more than a little angry. I hadn't promised not to talk to anyone else though. And Roslin hadn't asked me not to. Maybe it was time to talk to Adam.

* * *

A knock on his door pulled Adam's attention away from the DNA comparison he was studying. He sighed, wondering when his office had stopped being his sanctuary. After a moment he save the data and turned toward the door.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, revealing Jesse standing a bit uncertainly in the doorway. The younger man's eyes betrayed a hit of anger, but it was clear to Adam that Jesse wasn't certain about whatever had brought him to the office.

"Have a seat, Jess." He nodded to the chairs in front of his desk. "How're you feeling?"

Jess crossed the room and sat down, but he leaned forward, elbows supported on his knees, instead of leaning back into the chair's support. He looked down at his hands, popping a knuckle before looking at Adam across the desk.

"Little bit of a headache, but that's not why I came to see you, Adam. Something's up with Brennan." Jesse inhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what it is, but he has a problem with Roslin."

Adam leaned back in his chair, watching his protege as he thought back to Brennan's visit to this same office. He'd thought at the the time there was something more to it. Was this it?

Jesse's expression fell as Adam looked back at him without responding. He bit his lip, fidgeting with his ear for a second and started talking again. "Roslin said he doesn't even try to shield his thoughts or feelings unless Emma is around, and from what she told me, his mental presence is loud, more than most people."

Adam raised a brow, nodding slightly to encourage Jess to continue.

"He came into the kitchen just a little while ago. Roslin was there with me and he completely ignored her. Acted like she wasn't even there at first, until he didn't get the answer he wanted from me."

That got a frown from Adam. "How did Roslin take that, Jess?"

"She blew it off." Jess sighed, folding his hands and staring at them for a moment before meeting Adam's gaze again. "She says she hasn't been trying to read him, but he's so loud that she can't help but get some things anyway. She says he subconsciously resents her being here."

A slow nod met the words as Adam's expression grew thoughtful. "She may be right. He came to talk to me the other day and asked how long she was going to be staying."

"I promised Roslin I wouldn't say anything to him, Adam. She claims that until he realizes he resents her, it wouldn't do any good." Jesse unfolded his hands and ran both of them through his hair as he let out a breath. "But it's hard for her to even be around him, Adam."

Adam exhaled before leaning forward. "Is she okay?"

Jess nodded, letting his hands drop back to his knees. "I made sure she ate something and sent her to her room with a beer to relax. She was shaking the whole time Brennan was talking to us."

"That's probably the best place for her for now. " Adam's fingers tapped the desktop briefly. "In the meantime, I'll see about keeping Brennan occupied, at least until Toby gets here. And I'll remind him to get his mental shields up and keep them there."

He cocked his head to one side in thought. "Emma's due back shortly. Maybe I'll have her talk to him. He might take it better from her."

"Thanks, Adam. Roslin wanted to let it go, but I had to tell someone." Now Jesse leaned back in his chair, some of the tension flowing from him as Adam took his concerns seriously.

"No, thank you, Jess. If it's affecting Roslin that badly, there's more to it than we're seeing. I'll keep an eye out and see if I can at least get her to talk to me."

Jess nodded and stood up. "Sorry for interrupting you. I'll let you get back to whatever you were working on. And Adam," the molecular paused at the door, "Thanks again."


	8. Chapter 8

_Tensions are starting to affect everyone, in ways they can't control._

* * *

 ** _Roslin watched from the shadows, horrified as everything went wrong. She hadn't wanted to join the team on this mission, but Adam had insisted her telepathy would be needed. Whoever had given Adam the information about the mission had either been setting them up, or had been terribly misinformed._**

 ** _They had walked into an army of GS agents. And the agents had clearly been waiting for them. Shalimar and Emma were out cold on the ground. At least Roslin hoped they were only unconscious. Brennan and Jesse had both told her to stay behind them, and she had, so far. But all she really wanted was for this to turn out to be a bad dream._**

 ** _Jess was massed, necessary with the bullets flying around. Sooner or later though, he had to breathe. And that was his downfall. The orange mazing of his massed form faded, and a split second later he went down, a bullet in his chest._**

 ** _Roslin froze in shock as Brennan turned toward her. She couldn't make herself move, even when his electrical arc sped toward her._**

Roslin woke with a muffled scream, guilt and terror clouding her thoughts. Relief that it had been just a dream barely registered. Her first thought was that she couldn't let that dream become reality. It was her fault, or would be. Before anyone realized what she was doing, or what would happen, she had to leave.

Roslin was out of bed and at the door of her room before the dazed and scrambled thoughts even registered. The door opened on the darkened halls of Sanctuary and Roslin slipped into the shadows. Coherent thought was beyond her as she moved down the hall, never realizing her pace was slowing.

Suddenly, she found herself in front of an opening door with no recollection of why or how she'd gotten there. The shreds of rational thought that had started to return fled.

* * *

Adam still had the system set to log me out after an hour, so I'd forsaken my favorite computer for my room, even though I couldn't sleep. Between the fading concussion and the events earlier in the day, I had a slight headache, so any serious work was out anyway. Instead I was taking my time looking up some references in some manuals.

Until someone knocked on my door.

Adam would have called me on my comm-link. Since my door was unlocked, Shal would have just walked in. Bren was avoiding me since that morning. Besides,I didn't think they were even back yet. And Emma had taken advantage of the quiet, calling it an early night.

That left only one person, but I'd thought she was sleeping off the near migraine she'd had. Although she was getting more comfortable with me, I couldn't think of any reason for Roslin to be at my door in the middle of the night. I set the manual down and moved to the door, opening it carefully.

Roslin flinched away as the light fell on her. She was panting as if she'd been running. Her eyes were wide, pupils so dilated they looked black. She shuddered with each breath she took and she didn't seem to be seeing what was in front of her. I had the impression that if I wasn't very careful, she'd take off running.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching her. Keeping my voice gentle was hard, but it was clear I was going to have to coax her. "Roslin? What's wrong?"

She blinked a few times, her mouth opening then closing again as she backed up a step. Shuddering again, she wrapped her arms around her torso. She was dressed in pajama pants and a tank top, and Sanctuary's ventilation systems tended to keep temperatures cool, especially at night. She should have been chilled, but if she was, I didn't think she felt it yet.

Something had scared Roslin to the point she wasn't thinking. I squashed the instinct to pull her into my arms and comfort her. In the state she was in, that would either become part of the waking nightmare she seemed caught up in, or she'd run. Neither was what I wanted. After a few seconds, I took a step back, clearing the door as I spoke. I couldn't believe how calm my voice sounded because I was anything but. "Roslin, It's Jesse. You're safe. You're in Sanctuary. Everything's okay. Come on, look at me."

She shuddered once or twice but her breathing started to even out. Finally she looked at me, and I caught a bit of green, as well as a hint of rational thought. That was an improvement. Now to get her out of the hallway.

"Come on, Roslin. It's okay. You're safe."

I backed up a couple more steps trying to coax her out of the hallway before something else spooked her. "Come on. Everything's okay, but it's safer and warmer in the light."

I wasn't really paying much attention to what I was saying. I was just trying to keep up a flow of words. I focused more on keeping my voice gentle and coaxing. After too long for my comfort, it seemed to be working. Roslin took a few hesitant steps to enter the room. It was clear she was still afraid and not fully tracking reality. She side-stepped as she cleared the door, putting her back to the wall.

I didn't like seeing that behavior, but at the same time, I was grateful. It let me close the door again without getting close enough to spook her. Once the door was closed, I turned to my computer and logged in. A minute later an EM field sprang up around my room.

I'm not a psionic, so I don't need the shield. But Emma is a good friend as well as team mate. She and I spent a lot of time in my room talking. So I'd set up the same shielding that was on her room so she'd feel comfortable. I was glad for the foresight and hoped it would have the same effect on Roslin.

Turning, I leaned against my desk and watched Roslin again. Her breathing had slowed, and as I watched the shudders faded to shivering. Several minutes passed before real recognition reflected in her eyes. She looked around my room, then her knees buckled and she slid down the wall. I could hear choked tears in her voice. "Jesse?"

It was just one word, just my name, but I don't think I'd ever been so glad to hear it. It was hard, but I stayed where I was. "You're safe, Roslin."

A glance showed me a sweat shirt I'd tossed aside was within her reach. "There's a sweatshirt over there. Go ahead and put it on until you warm up."

It was only then she seemed to realize she'd gotten chilled and that told me a lot. Once she had the sweatshirt on, she seemed more comfortable, though I could still see the glint of tears in her eyes. I moved to my bed, sitting on the floor across from her and leaning back against it. She watched me, but when I didn't come any closer, she relaxed some.

"Nightmare?"

Roslin wrapped her arms around her knees and nodded slowly.

"Wanna talk about it?"

She tried, but the words wouldn't come and I saw that unreasoning fear start to resurface. "It's okay, Roslin. You don't have to talk about it."

She took a deep, shuddering breath, but the fear faded again. From the way she was curled in on herself, she wasn't feeling comfortable or completely safe. This time though, I didn't think I was the cause of her fear. Something had lead her to my door, and I suspected it was the trust she was regaining in me.

We were both silent for awhile. After a few minutes, Roslin leaned back, resting her head against the wall and closing her eyes. That put her face in shadow. I couldn't read her expression when she broke the silence, but her voice told me she was feeling vulnerable. I wrapped my arms around a knee to keep myself from going to her.

"I'm sorry, Jess. I just lost it for a bit."

I did my best to reassure her that she hadn't woken me and I didn't mind the interruption. She seemed to be regaining her self-control and that let me relax a little. "Better?"

She nodded and I stood up, finally taking the few steps over to her and holding out my hand. She hesitated before taking it and pulling herself to her feet. Once there, she wobbled briefly and I grabbed hold of her shoulders as gently as I could to steady her. Instead of shying away, she stepped closer.

"I'm scared, Jess." The words were barely audible and she wasn't looking at me.

The combination of stepping closer and her words finally did it and I did what I'd been wanting to since I'd first opened the door. I pulled her close, stroking her back and hair. A knot in my chest unraveled as I held her. When her arms slipped around my waist loosely, my heart missed a beat.

I kept murmuring reassurances, most of them meaningless. It was easy to tell when Roslin's exhaustion started to overcome the adrenaline of the nightmare. She leaned most of her weight against me and I knew it was time to get her to bed. I pulled back slightly, still stroking her back with one hand. With my other hand, I lifted her chin until she could see my face. "You need sleep, Roslin. Your bed or mine?"

She stiffened and tried to pull away, but I didn't let her. Not yet. "If you don't think you can make it back to your room, you can have my bed, Roslin. I'll take the floor."

I was trying to sooth her, but my words didn't have the effect I wanted. She pulled away, putting her back to me. "I can't sleep, Jess."

"Roslin, you're exhausted. You were practically asleep standing up."

Desperation colored her voice. "I can't sleep. It'll just come back."

I ran my hand across my mouth. I'd misunderstood what was upsetting her. I didn't want to think about how bad the nightmare had to have been to make Roslin afraid to go back to sleep. I closed the distance between us and rested my hands lightly on her shoulders. "At least lay down, Roslin. Before you fall down."

She leaned back against me and I had to swallow back all the things I wanted to say.

"Stay with me?" The words were pleading and said so much about how she was feeling at that moment.

I wanted her to be certain, though, given the situation. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, twisting to look up at me. "I feel safe with you, Jess."

My heart leapt and I gave her a crooked smile. "All right. You lay down. I'll pull the chair over."

Her lips thinned and she shook her head. "I'm not stealing your bed. There's enough room for both of us."

For the first time in over a month, I saw a hint of the woman I'd first met. I wasn't sure it was the best idea, but even as I watched, Roslin swayed slightly.

"Stubborn."

That got the barest hint of a smile that faded almost as soon as it appeared. I climbed onto the bed, taking the side next to the wall, then looked at her until she sat on the other side of the bed. She pulled the sweatshirt off, then curled up facing the door. There was a slight tension in her frame and I rolled onto my side, reaching out and stroking her arm lightly.

"You're not alone, Roslin."

She relaxed a touch, and that gave me some hope that she'd get some sleep.

I froze when she laid a hand over mine. Surprise made me inhale sharply as she pulled my arm around her waist. She relaxed and not much later, exhaustion claimed her. I used a voice command to turn off most of the lights. As I watched Roslin sleep, I knew I wasn't going to be getting much sleep myself.

I did manage to get some. I counted it worth the lack though, since I managed to soothe Roslin out of another nightmare before it got too far. As much as I hated to do it, I woke her up on the early side. I didn't think she was ready to have everyone know she'd spent the night in my room, so after checking the security feeds I sent her back to her own room.

I laid back down, but sleep wasn't on the morning's agenda. Instead, my mind replayed what it had been like to hold Roslin and to have her sleeping next to me. I found myself wishing I hadn't sent her back to her room. At the same time, I knew the circumstances had been unusual. It wasn't likely she'd react the same way in the light of day.


	9. Chapter 9

_Mutant X is about to meet a natural telepath - someone Adam appears to trust as much as he trusts them. How will his arrival affect the team dynamics?_

 _ **Stillwaterrs** \- thank you for the kind words! I hope you keep enjoying the story as the plot heats up!_

* * *

Roslin kept to herself for the next couple of days. She ventured out of her room to meet with Adam, or to the dojo or meditation room on occasion, but it seemed she was trying to avoid everyone unless she had to interact with them. About the only person who was comfortable with that behavior was Brennan, but the help Adam had called in was due soon, so they let Roslin have her solitude.

Everyone except Roslin was up and about when the alert sounded, letting them know their expected guest had arrived. Brennan and the others were still curious about that. There weren't many people Adam trusted with Sanctuary's location, even fewer that they didn't already know. But even Shal and Jesse didn't know this Toby Logan, despite the fact that Adam had apparently met him after they came to live at Sanctuary.

The team was gathered in the common area when Adam came out of the lab, and he half-smiled to see them there. "All right guys. I know you're curious, but stay here. I'll bring Toby up to meet all of you, but let me warn him first."

There were a few awkward looks, but all four nodded. It seemed like they'd stay put, at least for a little while, so Adam made his way down to the garage. The sooner he got Toby introduced, the less chance the others would do something to satisfy their curiosity.

The telepath and former EMT was just getting out of the car as Adam arrived. A few words exchanged let them catch up and Adam gestured towards the entrance to the living areas of Sanctuary.

Toby flashed him a wry look, but followed the older man's lead. Adam was concerned and even though he kept a pretty good mental barrier up, there were still a few thoughts that slipped through. It didn't put Toby on edge, but it did warn him that he might not get the warmest of receptions.

He had only been to Sanctuary once, and that was only for two days. The place was certainly memorable, though he got more of a sense of 'home' than he had the last time he was here. That might be because there were two more team members, as well as a guest, here now. Or it might just be that everyone was physically present. The place had echoed a bit with only Adam and him there last time.

It might be that they were all strong personalities. At least one of the team members was psionic - an empath. Toby remembered Adam mentioning that. He let his own defenses down just enough to try to get a sense of the people Adam was taking him to meet. The minimal number of surface thoughts almost made him stop walking. It was unusual to say the least. The surface thoughts he could hear seemed to come from one source, a strong, somewhat annoyed, masculine personality. The person was mentally shielded, but his mental voice was loud in comparison to most people's. Unusual, but something the telepath had encountered before.

Toby shook his head slightly and raised his mental defenses again, flashing a crooked smile at Adam when the scientist looked at him quizzically. A slight frown played at the corners of Adam's lips, but he kept whatever questions or concerns he had to himself for the moment.

They rounded a corner, coming into what was obviously a common area. Adam led him over to the four people, two men and two women, who were clearly waiting. "Roslin is resting, but the team is here, so let's get the introductions out of the way."

Adam met Toby's eye, his expression almost an apology for making Toby the center of everyone's attention. Toby had expected it and just shrugged slightly. "Guys, this is Toby Logan. He's a natural telepath." Adam point to each person as he named them for Toby. "Emma de Lauro, tele-empath. Shalimar Fox, feral. Brennan Mulwray, elemental, and Jesse Kilmartin, molecular. Shal and Jess were on the team when you and I met. Brennan and Emma joined us a little over a year ago."

Toby was relieved that Adam's team had good mental control. He still caught a few stray thoughts, but three of the four clearly had some practice keeping their thoughts to themselves. He wasn't sure if the tall, dark haired man - Brennan, if he remembered correctly - had less skill or if the man's thoughts were just that loud. Some people naturally had a louder thought voice than most. Brennan was the source of the surface thoughts he'd picked up earlier.

The blond man gave him a nod and a friendly smile before turning to Adam. "I'll go get Roslin while you get Toby settled, Adam. Where are you going to make the introduction?"

Adam thought for a moment. "Thanks, Jess. Let's use my office. She's comfortable enough there for a first meeting. Once she and Toby get to know each other a bit they can choose where to work."

The others wandered off with a word or nod for Toby when it became clear their curiosity would have to wait until later for satisfaction. Jesse headed off and Adam watched him with a fond smile for a moment before turning back to Toby. "Let's get you settled and I'll fill you in. The situation is a bit complicated."

* * *

Adam left Toby alone after filling him, and now the telepath sat on his bed thinking. Adam had said the situation was complicated, and that was an understatement. He understood why Adam had asked for his help, but he wasn't going to be able to provide much of that help if Roslin wouldn't let him in. From what Adam said, trust was something she didn't give easily.

After what had happened to her, it was no wonder she didn't want anyone in her head. He wouldn't either. But it was going to make things more difficult than he'd expected. And the fluctuations in her abilities that Adam had mentioned weren't going to make things any easier either.

If he was reading things right, at least he wouldn't be alone in his efforts to help Roslin. Since he had limited himself to the surface thoughts that had slipped through the team's mental discipline, he didn't have a lot to go on, but it was something.

Jesse would be a definite ally, and Toby thought Emma would be too, especially since she shared an ability with Roslin. Shalimar appeared to have a certain fondness for Roslin, but her main contribution would probably be helping Roslin physically work out her frustrations. Adam, obviously, wanted to help the woman.

The one team member he was concerned about was Brennan. He'd noted how loud the man's thoughts were. The hint of annoyance in them had seemed something the elemental wasn't aware of. Unfortunately, it had the distinct flavor of being directed at Roslin. Between the volume and the thoughts themselves, Toby saw a definite problem. Roslin would pick up on the thoughts, if she hadn't already, and that wasn't going to help. It might be one of the reasons she'd been hiding out in her room for the past couple of days.

Well, making her wait and wonder wasn't going to make things any easier on either of them. It would only give Roslin more time to worry, so Toby left the room he'd been given and headed to Adam's office. He had his own reasons to be nervous about this meeting. He wanted to help. He just wasn't sure he could. And he got the feeling Adam didn't have many other options. There was a good chance the other man was counting on him to be able to do something.

* * *

Toby knocked on the door, firming up his own mental defenses before entering Adam's office. Adam was leaning against the corner of his desk, talking quietly with a slender auburn haired woman. Even without his telepathy, Toby could tell she was either nervous or stressed. He'd learned to read most body language while still working as an EMT. Turning, he closed the door behind him and leaned against it, keeping his expression open and friendly.

Adam glanced at him and nodded. Laying a hand on the woman's shoulder, he said something else, leaning back as she turned in the chair. Toby caught himself before he frowned, but just barely. The woman trusted Adam, but she'd visibly tensed up when he'd touched her. No doubt Adam had noticed, but he pretended it didn't happen, addressing the woman first. "Roslin, this is Toby Logan. He's the telepath I told you about."

He paused for a moment and Roslin offered a nod in Toby's direction. "Toby, this is Roslin Britton. She's both an empath and telepath."

Toby nodded and double checked his mental defenses before responding. "Hi, Roslin. Adam told me you've been having some problems with your telepathy. He thought I might be able to help."

He stayed at the door as he watched Roslin. It wasn't hard to see how much effort it was taking her to appear relaxed and unworried.

"Hi." Roslin offered him a slight smile, then looked down at her hands for a moment. "It's still pretty new to me - the telepathy, I mean."

He nodded, trying to get a better feel for her. "You've had a few extra bumps to get past. I'm not surprised you're having some difficulties."

Roslin cocked her head to one side slightly, eyes narrowing as she studied him for a minute. Adam seemed surprised when she stood up and crossed the room, holding her hand out to Toby. Unless he was trying to get a read on someone, Toby, like most psionics, usually avoided handshakes. Being an empath and telepath, Toby had assumed Roslin would be the same, so it took him a second to take her hand in return. She gave his hand a short, firm shake before letting go and turning to Adam. Her contralto voice was soft but clear. "We'll be okay, Adam. Do you mind if we borrow your office for a little while?"

Adam blinked a few times, the only evidence of the surprise Toby was sure he was feeling, then nodded. "If you're sure. I need to check in with Jesse anyway."

Roslin watched the scientist as he made his way past Toby and out of the office. It gave Toby a few seconds to try to figure out what had just happened. He'd felt something when he'd taken Roslin's hand and some of his nervousness had faded at the same time. It took a few seconds for her other ability - the natural mutation - to actually register in his mind. As an empath, Roslin had probably noticed he was uneasy. That she apparently tried to do something about it surprised him. He was there to help her, not the other way around. "You seem to have a pretty good handle on your natural ability."

Roslin had already returned to her chair, and Toby crossed the room, choosing one of the chairs within conversational distance of her. She shrugged. "I've lived with it all my life. I'm used to it."

Perching on the back of her chair, Roslin rubbed the back of her neck before continuing. "The telepathy doesn't seem to affect my control of my empathy. Just how sensitive my reception is."

"Feedback loop? Sometimes when I get a strong read off someone and I'm not expecting it, I have trouble shutting things out again." Toby leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"Adam thinks that's part of it. The double input seems to be part of the problem too. My brain just kind of locks up and I can't figure out which one to try to shut down first."

Roslin looked at Toby frankly, and he saw signs of the stress she was apparently trying to hide from the others. "Every time I we think I have a handle on the telepathy, it surges or changes again. Usually it's an increase in the volume of what I'm hearing."

"But not always? What else happens?" Toby folded his hands, thinking about what Roslin was saying.

"A few times I've ended up projecting my thoughts without realizing it." Roslin shrugged, a trace of annoyance crossing her expression. "I think those times bother me more really. I have a hard enough time with the thoughts that go through my head. The others don't need to hear them too."

"Even without what you've been through, that would be a problem. I can certainly understand why you want to keep your thoughts to yourself." Toby leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest and watching Roslin steadily. "Can you work with me? Can you let me hear some of those thoughts?"

Roslin looked away, slipping off the back of the chair and pacing a bit before answering. "I think so. You're not like the others. I mean... they all want to help."

He almost missed the next words, though he thought he knew who she was referring to.

"Well, most of them anyway." Finally, she looked at him again. "You 'feel' different. Don't expect me to let you in all the way, but if it's necessary, I think I can deal with it."

Toby nodded, putting his hands on his knees. "Okay. We'll give it a try tomorrow. I don't know about you, but traveling always wears me out, and I'd like to have a clear head."

Roslin just nodded, crossing her arms and fidgeting with her shirt sleeve.

"Is there somewhere we can work without getting in anyone's way? I have a feeling Adam probably needs his office back."

That got a hint of a smile, but it faded as she thought for a moment before nodding. "There's a room downstairs thats EM shielded. Emma uses it to meditate."

"That sounds like it'll work. Tomorrow after breakfast, then?"

Toby heard a hint of humor in her voice as she answered. "As long as it's not an early breakfast."

"Fair enough."

Toby stood and gestured to the door, following Roslin. He opened the door for her, taking care not to touch her. Roslin headed off on her own. Toby didn't know where she was headed, but he went in search of Adam. He was hoping the other man might have some suggestions on how to proceed. At least Roslin seemed willing to trust him. That made Toby curious as to what she'd read from him with her empathy.


	10. Chapter 10

_Two chapters today - because the first one's short..._

 _Hmm... What are Eckhart, Harrison, and Juliana up to? Time to check in._

* * *

A computer beeped, indicating its test was done, and Dr. Harrison stepped over to look at the results. An eyebrow lifted as he studied the data and he smiled slightly. Turning, the lab coated man looked at the curved net of wires that had been the subject of the test. If the results were correct, he finally had a successful prototype. It was time to do some human tests.

A look at the clock told him it was too late to start. Harrison sighed. He shut down the current data streams, leaving a memo for his assistants. He wanted two new mutant psionics prepped when he came in the next day. If the device worked on them, the next step was to try it on one of the natural mutants. He was very much looking forward to the next morning.

* * *

Mason Eckhart was furious. Genomex and GSA security were going to have a rather unpleasant meeting with him as soon as he calmed down enough. It was bad enough when Adam's people managed to get into Genomex, but to have some other mutant manage it? Unacceptable. Especially when they seemed to know exactly how to find what they were after.

And what they had been after was something they shouldn't have known anything about. It was also something Mason Eckhart wanted complete and utter control over. Allowing anyone else to have any control over the cladosporium variation the Genomex scientists had developed would make his own use of it less effective. Luckily, the thieves hadn't wiped the data from the system, or managed to steal all the prototype samples, so the Genomex scientists didn't need to start all over from scratch.

A thorough house cleaning was definitely needed. There were only two ways anyone outside of Genomex could have known about the virus. Either someone had talked, or there was a mole within the company. Either option was unacceptable. If security couldn't determine how the breach had occurred, and fix it, they would all be seeing the inside of a stasis pod. Perhaps rebuilding the security department from the ground up would bring some better results.

* * *

Juliana's eyebrow lifted as she read the report the head of her security team had sent her. She'd heard from Eckhart and Harrison earlier in the week. She found it interesting that neither of them had mentioned the virus Genomex scientists were currently working on. Or the fact that they appeared to be having success in changing its delivery vector.

She made a little moue of disappointment. Hadn't they all agreed to trust one another and share any discoveries? She had to chuckle softly at that thought. She trusted them as much as they apparently trusted her. Which was to say, not at all. Juliana could understand Harrison not mentioning the virus, after all, he wasn't directly involved with it. But he might have mentioned the success he'd been having in developing a new governor for psionics - new mutant and natural.

Of course, she hadn't told either Eckhart or Harrison about the resources she had within Genomex and the GSA. No doubt Eckhart, at least, would be horrified and angry to find out just how much she knew about what was going on there. They, on the other hand, did not have a reciprocal source. Juliana was sure of that since she hadn't hired anyone new since before she'd had her initial conversation with Eckhart.

She wondered how Eckhart was reacting to her little "gift." It hadn't been difficult, especially with the inside information she had, to see that he wouldn't be the only one with the data on that virus. A little research on her end had given her information on a new mutant thief with a fine reputation. It hadn't taken much to engage his services. She was looking forward to collecting the virus data from him as soon as she was certain he'd gotten away clean with it.

The one thing Eckhart wasn't trying to hide from her was his progress in locating Mutant X and Roslin. Mostly because there wasn't any. Not that Mutant X hadn't been out and about, but they had been remarkably successful in staying out of the GSA's custody. That seemed to be par for the course though. From what she'd learned, Eckhart only rarely managed to catch any of them, and even when he did he couldn't keep hold of them. It was a good thing he had better success with other new mutants, or he'd be out of business.

Juliana glanced at another file on her desk. It was slim, not holding a great deal of information, but it was all she had left on Roslin. Her source had managed to copy it from Harrison's data back at Genomex. She'd tried to get additional data. Roslin's files at the Centre shouldn't have been too hard to get. Unfortunately, Jarod had put his pet programmer on the task of securing them. Well, securing the files on all the Pretenders actually, not just Roslin's. It still put them out of her reach, at least for now.

Roslin was going to pay - for what she'd done at the Centre when they were younger - and for the trouble she was causing Juliana now. Juliana's eyes narrowed as she thought about the other woman. It wasn't fair that everyone came to Roslin's rescue when she'd already shown her willingness to betray her friends. Juliana would prove to Jarod, and everyone else, that Roslin wasn't worth their time or effort.

* * *

Dr. Harrison studied the results of the latest tests and the hint of a smile touched the corners of his mouth. The new governor was not just meeting his expectations, but surpassing them. The goal was to keep a psionic from using their powers against anyone else, whether they were a new mutant or they had a natural mutation.

The tests had uncovered signs that the governor was working on more than one level. Depending on the power frequency used to activate it, the governor could completely block a psionic's power, or it could block only part of it. It prevented the psionic from projecting their power no matter what setting was used, but it could be set to allow the psionic to receive outside stimuli related to their powers while keeping them from using their power offensively. That could prove particularly useful with the telepathic and empathic psionics.

The doctor wasn't quite ready to report his findings to Eckhart yet. The head of Genomex had been particularly annoyed by the outcome of the situation with Ms. Britton. He hadn't seen any reason not to spread some of that annoyance on Harrison. Oh, he would tell Eckhart soon enough. He did, after all, need to make sure that some overly ambitious assistant didn't try to take credit for his creation.


	11. Chapter 11

_A nice, friendly breakfast isn't too much to ask for, is it?_

* * *

Breakfast was half over before Roslin appeared. Her smile faltered slightly as she saw Brennan, and she detoured to the stove, putting the kettle on a burner. Jesse and Shalimar greeted her quietly, but left her to make her tea. Toby caught whispers of concern from Jesse, but they were almost unheard under the annoyance in Brennan's thoughts. The telepath frowned and glanced at Adam, only to find Adam watching Brennan himself. Toby took a sip of his coffee and leaned back. At least Adam was aware that something was going on with the other man.

Actual voices intruded on his thoughts, and Toby blinked. Roslin had joined them at the table, taking a seat between Jesse and Shalimar. A seat that just coincidentally was just about as far away from Brennan as she could get. He hadn't heard her, not even mentally. Not even stray thoughts were getting out past her defenses, and that had to be causing her pain. He gave her a small smile and a nod, then went back to finishing his food.

It didn't take an empath to feel the tension at the table, at least not if you were one of the people that was looking for it. Or a telepath listening for it. The thing about tension and worry was that both tended to cause people's mental walls to slip. More surface thoughts became audible and they generally had more depth to them. The only two people Toby wasn't 'hearing' were Emma and Roslin.

He glanced at each of the woman. Emma looked slightly annoyed. No doubt she was picking up the emotions, if not the thoughts, even if she wasn't letting anything out past her own shields. Roslin was looking a little pale, her eyes narrowing a bit in what Toby thought was pain. She lifted her mug and took a drink, briefly meeting his eyes over the rim of the mug.

"Adam!"

Brennan's exclamation cut through other conversations, a slight whine in his voice as he apparently responded to something Adam had said. His thoughts reflected an annoyance bordering on anger that was somehow connected with Roslin.

Adam looked at him mildly, though Toby could tell the scientist's thoughts were anything but.

"I need you to check on the safe houses on today's list for restocking. Jesse's still on light duty and I need Shalimar here. If you don't want to do it alone, take Emma with you."

* * *

Even as Brennan was working up steam to reply, Roslin pushed away from the table. She glanced at Adam and Jesse, muttering a vague apology, before almost running from the kitchen. There was a long silence, though the mental atmosphere was loud enough for Toby to read without half trying. Roslin's actions seemed to have loosened everyone's grip on their mental defenses.

Shalimar was concerned, though not overly so. She was fairly sure she knew what had happened. She was just as certain that between Adam, Emma, and Toby, Roslin would be fine after she'd had some time to herself. Adam was worried, but also less than happy with Brennan. He was debating what his best choice of action was. Brennan - well, to say the elemental was pissed would be an understatement. A part of his mind was convinced that Roslin was acting out just for attention and he resented that. Emma had risen to her feet, concern written across her face as she debated whether to follow Roslin or not. The last member of Mutant X was still sitting, face blank as he popped his knuckles. Underneath that apparent calm, Jesse's thoughts were racing, rebounding between a deep concern for Roslin, and an equally powerful anger at Brennan.

Toby gestured to everyone to stay put and finish their breakfasts. If what he'd briefly heard from Roslin as she fled was any indication, none of them were going to be able to get through to her at the moment.

"You guys stay put. I'll go. Where's her room?"

Emma pointed in the general direction and Toby nodded his thanks. He didn't really need the direction though. Roslin's telepathic defenses had broken, and he could still hear her. They weren't completely down, and it was unlikely anyone but another telepath would hear her, but something had definitely put a hole in them. And the noise, after her utter mental silence, was like a beacon.

* * *

Roslin had gone in the general direction Emma had pointed out, but she'd apparently bypassed her room. Toby paused for a moment, trying to get a better feel for where she'd gone. Her thoughts seemed to be coming from below him and he remembered the meditation room she'd mentioned the previous day. He'd checked with Adam later that evening so he wouldn't need to ask someone to show him how to find it. It took a minute to remember, but then he was headed in the right direction and Roslin's thoughts were enough to guide him.

He was halfway down the stairs when the sound of Roslin's thoughts cut off abruptly. His eyes widened in surprise and he sped up his pace. By the time he got down the stairs, he'd relaxed just a touch. Roslin had said the room was EM shielded, and Adam had explained that an EM shield seemed to block thoughts and emotions for new mutant psionics. Hopefully, that was all it was. Though the stress Roslin's shields had been under before she fled worried him.

He found the room, pausing outside the door to order his thoughts and reinforce his own mental defenses before going in. Opening the door carefully, he looked into the dim room, not seeing anyone. He couldn't see her at first, but he could hear Roslin. Her breathing and her thoughts were both panicked. Her thoughts were moving in a mental spiral that was reinforcing itself and pulling her farther away from everything outside.

It still took him a minute to physically locate her, and Toby sighed softly when he did. Roslin was curled up as small as she could get in the farthest corner. Stepping into the room, Toby closed the door softly behind himself. A few steps brought him to the middle of the sparsely furnished room, and he moved slightly to one side, where Roslin would be able to see him if she happened to look up. Given the way her thoughts were spiraling, she'd lost control of her telepathic defenses, and, quite likely, her empathic ones as well. Whether it was just too much stress on them, or another fluctuation in her telepathy, Toby had no way of knowing at this point.

He didn't want to startle her and make her panic even more, but he wasn't certain how to avoid doing just that. After a moment, he crouched down, calling her name softly, both mentally and audibly. Roslin jerked, pressing closer to the wall, and Toby closed his eyes, inhaling quietly before trying again. This time, she didn't move.

Well, that was an improvement at least. Toby sat on ground, scooting a few feet closer and watching Roslin closely. She was shaking, but she didn't seem to be making any effort to get away from him. He called her name mentally again. Keeping his own thoughts soothing was difficult, but it did seem to be helping. This time Toby got a slender thread of attention. It was fragile, the still panicking thoughts threatening to sweep it away. He extended a mental hand and waited for Roslin to take it. It took longer than he liked, but eventually, she did.

At that point, he moved close enough to touch Roslin, laying a hand on her arm. After a long moment, she lifted her head, blinking dazedly. Her panic seemed to receding, but as it did, it was easy for Toby to read the signs of pain in her eyes and face. If he had to guess, she probably had a monster headache, if not a migraine.

Keeping his voice low, his hand still on her arm, he started talking as he watched her. "Take a deep breath. Let it out slowly." He watched, and he thought he felt her shaking ease just a bit as she exhaled. "Again, Roslin. Deep breath. And let it out."

This time, Toby was certain. Her shaking eased to almost nothing. He relaxed a bit, letting go of the tension that had crept up on him even as he continued to talk her through the relaxation technique.

It took a few more minutes, but eventually Toby was able to get her relaxed enough to sit back against the wall. He gave her a couple of minutes then, since she seemed to be getting herself back under control. He knew he was right when all but a few surface thoughts cut off. Moving slowly, he sat back against the wall next to her.

"What happened? Brennan's thoughts too loud?"

Roslin's eyes flew to his face for a second before she looked at the wall across from them. She was silent for so long, Toby wasn't sure she was going to answer him. "Partly. His emotions are pretty loud too."

Something in her voice made Toby pause before he replied. He doubted it was just the volume of the dark haired mutant's mental voice and emotions that caused such a violent reaction. "You deal with him everyday, right? So that's not new. Roslin, did your telepathy fluctuate?"

She swallowed and nodded. "It was like everything got turned up a notch." Her voice was quiet, almost ashamed, but she continued. "I couldn't push it all away again."

Roslin dropped her head into her hands, massaging her temples. Toby watched her with the eyes of a former EMT and sighed lightly. Her breathing was a bit fast, and even in the dim room, he could tell she was pale. Reaching over, he took her closest hand gently, slipping his fingers to her wrist and nodding as his count proved her heart rate was a bit high too. She was probably hiding her head because even the dim light in the room was painful. If it wasn't a full blown migraine, Toby was pretty certain it would be shortly.

"Do you think you can get to your room, Roslin?" He asked the question quietly, but Roslin still winced before answering.

"Do I have a choice?" Her voice was flat, but she lifted her head carefully. "Don't answer that. Yeah. If I go slow, I'll make it."

Toby wasn't certain she was right, but he wanted to get her moving. That was more important at the moment. "Why don't you head back there. I'll go head the others off and get you something for the migraine."

Roslin's eyes narrowed as she looked at him, but she nodded slowly. He helped her to her feet, holding her arm for a few extra seconds when she swayed slightly. Walking her to the door, he opened it and stepped into the hallway. Turning back to her, he offered a comforting smile.

"Take it easy. If I get done with others before you get to your room, I'll come back and help you."

After Roslin nodded, Toby headed for the stairs, his pace quick. He wanted to make sure her path was clear - she was in no state to deal with anyone, even someone who meant well. He wanted to talk to Adam, as well get Roslin something for the migraine. He heard the door close just before he reached the stairs, and he took them up two stairs at a time.

* * *

When Toby left her at the door, Roslin started to doubt she'd be able to make back to her room, despite what she'd told him. She clung to the door frame, wavering, for a moment. She hadn't expected the light to hurt so much and she had to squint, which didn't exactly ease the throbbing in her head.

Finally, she let go of the door frame and started for the stairs. Concentrating on taking one step at time got her there. Both hands on the rail and taking one stair at time got her up them, though each step jarred her head and sent a surge of nausea to roiling in her stomach.

It took a few seconds for it to register when she reached the top of the stairs and found the door blocking her way. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the wall for several minutes, gathering herself. Opening her eyes was hard, especially when the spots she was seeing didn't go away even after she blinked several times.

Roslin leaned against the door, letting her weight open it, and staggered into the hallway. Her room wasn't far, but even so, she wasn't sure how she managed to get to her door. It was blessedly dark once she was inside. She leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath, but after a moment found herself lurching for the bathroom.

Losing what little she'd managed to eat at breakfast only made the pain in her head worse. After wiping her mouth, she collapsed on the bed, closing her eyes and trying not to think, because even that hurt. She was hoping no one, including Toby, would come looking for her. Maybe she could sleep the migraine off.

Sleep wouldn't come though, and she couldn't get comfortable. The pillow felt like a rock and the ache in her head seemed to flow down into her body. Even the dim light from the alarm clock was too much. She was trying to lay still and at least not cause herself more pain, when the door opened. Sitting up too fast, she moaned softly as the pain behind her eyes seemed to explode.

* * *

It didn't take long for Toby to find Adam. He'd guessed he'd find Mutant X's leader in the lab, and he was right. What did surprise him was that he didn't encounter any of the other members of the team. He'd half expected to have Jesse waiting for him.

Whatever Adam was doing, it was apparently just something to keep him occupied, because he didn't hesitate to turn away from it when Toby stepped through the door. The older man looked tired and he ran a hand over his jaw, unable to find any words for the moment.

"Roslin will be okay, Adam. I sent her to her room. She's got a migraine the size of Everest, but rest and a painkiller is what she needs most. She said her telepathy fluctuated."

Adam nodded and leaned back against the counter, thinking on what Toby had said. "Did she ask for something?"

"No, but trust me, she needs it. I'm not sure was capable of thinking past getting to her room. Pulse and breathing were rapid and even the dim light in that meditation room was too much."

Adam moved to the computer, typing in a command. As he waited for the result, he turned back to Toby, a measure of desperation in his eyes. "Can you help her, Toby?"

"I think so. It didn't take much for her to get things back under control. She just needed a little outside help."

Toby watched as the other man checked the screen and proceeded to load a syringe, nodding slightly to himself.

"I'm going to go relax a bit, Adam. I'll check in with you later."

Adam nodded absently as he double checked the information on the computer again, but then he looked at Toby with a grim smile. "Thanks Toby."

The telepath just nodded and left the lab, heading for his room.

* * *

Adam found himself outside Roslin's room, almost afraid to open the door. There was a better than even chance that Roslin would refuse the painkiller he'd brought, based on her previous behavior. It might be a bit of an argument, but he intended to see she took it, especially if her migraine was as bad as Toby had implied.

He opened the door as softly as he could, but it wasn't soft enough. Roslin bolted upright in her bed, a soft moan the only sound she made. The light from the doorway illuminated the room just enough that he could see the pain twisting her expression. He could also see the green eyes were wide and unseeing.

Crossing the room, he knelt next to the bed, trying to soothe her somewhat. It took several minutes before the pain subsided enough for Roslin to do more than react.

"Slowly, Roslin." He helped her lay back down, waiting until she rolled her head toward him.

"I brought something for the pain." He held up the syringe where she could see it. "I know you don't like drugs, but I think it's the best choice this time."

Roslin swallowed, closing her eyes and only nodded. He felt her tense when he took hold of her arm, but she barely seemed to notice the prick of the needle itself. Adam injected the drug and recapped the syringe before setting it on the nightstand.

Pulling a chair next the bed, Adam took a seat. Mutant X's leader sat there in the dark room, watching Roslin as she slipped into sleep. The argument over the painkiller had never surfaced. Neither had even a token protest, and that worried Adam. It told him a great deal about the level of pain Roslin had to be in. He only hoped she wouldn't process the drug as quickly as she did many others.


	12. Chapter 12

_little bit of a long chapter, but the only other option was to break it into two short chapters which wouldn't have flowed as four more chapters before I catch up to where I am in the story - posting will probably slow down a bit at that point._

* * *

At least half an hour had passed before Adam roused himself. Still deep in thought, he exited Roslin's room, only to find both Toby and Jesse leaning against the wall across from the door. He took a few seconds to close the door quietly and motioned the two men away from the room.

"She's sleeping. I gave her something for the pain."

Jesse frowned and Adam gave a mental sigh. The molecular was well aware of Roslin's dislike for drugs of any kind. That would give him a fair idea of just how much pain Roslin had been in.

"She didn't give you any arguments, Adam?" The blond man's voice held a combination of disbelief and concern.

Adam shook his head slightly, leading he way to his office. Toby had been silent so far, but Adam noticed he was observing the by-play between Jesse and himself. No doubt he had some questions of his own. Jess kept whatever else he had to say to himself. Once they reached his office, Adam motioned the others to take a seat and closed the door. After seating himself behind his desk, he looked at Jess with a raised eyebrow. "Spit it out, Jess."

Jess tapped his lower lip with his thumb a few times before responding. "It was another fluctuation in her telepathy, wasn't it, Adam?" The younger man didn't wait for an answer. "Something about this one was worse than the others. She's never had that bad a reaction to any of the other changes."

Adam nodded, folding his hands on his desktop to keep from fidgeting himself. "From what Toby told me, yes. She wasn't in any state to ask about it. I'm not sure why this one was worse, especially since they've been getting less frequent."

He turned his attention to the other man in the room. "Toby, you were obviously able to help her. Did you get anything from her that might help us figure out what happened?"

"It was her telepathy, not her empathy, at least at first." Toby frowned, thinking back to what he'd picked up initially. "It was like something put a hole in her mental defenses and turned up the volume at the same time."

Jesse's blue eyes held a spark of anger and he gave Adam a long look. "Wanna bet what made that hole, Adam?"

Adam sighed, knowing exactly where Jesse was intending to take the conversation.

Toby seemed to pick up on the tension and spoke again. "Between the two, she couldn't get her defenses back up. From what little she did say, I think that once the telepathic defenses went down, her empathy got pulled into the loop as well."

"Sounds logical. I think you're probably right, Toby. If we can find a way for her to keep her mental shields up, she can probably weather any changes to her ability."

Toby thought for a minute, then leaned forward, glancing at both Adam and Jesse. "Adam, I don't mean to speak out of place here, but part of the problem may be one of your people."

"Brennan." Adam frowned, but nodded. "Jess brought that possibility up to me a few days ago. I don't know what Brennan's problem is, but he definitely does seem to have one."

"He's loud, even when he's shielding his thoughts." Toby shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "And his mental discipline isn't great, at least not compared to the rest of you."

"I wanted to give him some time to work out whatever it is, but I think, after today, that's no longer an option."

Jesse's jaw tightened, but he only nodded, waiting to see what Adam's plan was.

"I'll talk to him. And, at least for now, see what I can do to keep him away from Roslin, and anything having to do with her."

Adam looked at Jess pointedly. "You stay away from Bren if you can't keep yourself from saying something. I mean it."

Jesse stared at his mentor. Adam held his gaze calmly. After several seconds, Jess looked away and gave a jerky nod. "As long as you talk to him, Adam. And soon."

Adam nodded, offering both men a grim smile. "On that note, gentlemen, I have some work to do."

Toby headed for the door, Jess only a few steps behind him. Jess lingered at the door until Toby had left, only then turning around to face Adam again. "How bad was it really, Adam?"

The anger had drained completely from his voice, replaced by concern. Adam thought there might be a hint of something else there too, but now wasn't the time to try to pursue it. He dropped his gaze to the top of his desk for a few seconds as he thought. He had really hoped that Jess would let this part of the situation drop. Unfortunately, the younger man was about as stubborn as his massed form was solid. "She was barely coherent when I got there, Jess. To be honest, unless the pain got significantly worse after she got to her room, I'm surprised she managed to make it on her own."

Jesse's lips thinned, but he took a deep breath and his voice remained calm. His eyes told a different story. "What did you give her?"

Adam sighed and told him. He would have preferred not to, but Jess would have just gotten into the medical files or surveillance footage and found out that way. Better not to give the molecular any reason to go and do something on his own.

Blue eyes widened slightly and Jess changed whatever he'd been about to say. "She'll be out most of the day then."

Adam nodded. "Yes, and all she'll probably want to do when it wears off is sleep." He frowned slightly. "I'm hoping so, anyway. I'd really rather not give her anything else. I'm never sure how she's going to process it."

Jess nodded, remembering the chemical cocktail Roslin had been subjected to while she was at Paragon under Juliana's 'care.' There was one other thing he remembered as well, and the blue eyes were dark, almost haunted, when he looked at Adam again. "Let's hope she doesn't have any nightmares, Adam."

Adam's only reply was a silent nod, and Jess left the office, expression thoughtful and worried.

Adam updated Roslin's file with what little information he had. He'd have preferred to run a scan on her, but that would have meant getting her to the lab and she'd been in too much pain for that to be an option. He stared at the notes, at what Toby had told them, for long minutes before activating the comm system and calling Brennan into his office.

A single knock, followed by the door swinging open, heralded the elemental's arrival. By appearances, Brennan was in a good mood, if a bit confused by the summons to the office.

"Sit down, Brennan." Adam's voice was serious, matching his expression as he watched Brennan move further into the room and sprawl in one of the chairs.

"What's up, Adam?"

Adam's eyes narrowed slightly. Any of the others would have asked how Roslin was doing, or at least what had happened. Brennan seemed to have forgotten that anything had happened at all. The older man sighed, realizing the conversation was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. "I don't know what the problem is, Brennan, but you're going to have to get over it. At the very least, you need to keep your mental defenses up until further notice."

The elemental frowned obviously not tracking what Adam was talking about. "Problem? I don't have any problems that I'm aware of, Adam."

Adam's eyes closed for a moment and he steeled himself for a potentially explosive reaction before he spoke again. "Toby said your mental voice is loud and that your mental discipline isn't as good as everyone else's. And its becoming obvious to everyone that you have some issue with Roslin. The combination is going to cause trouble. It already has."

Anger darkened Brennan's face and he huffed out a breath. "Who said I have a problem with Roslin?" He pushed himself out of the chair, pacing the confines of the office. "I haven't said a negative thing to her, Adam. And I didn't have anything to do with what happened at breakfast!"

Adam let his brows rise at Brennan's comment, steepled fingers tapping his chin once or twice. "I didn't say anything about this morning, Brennan. What makes you think I was accusing you of having anything to do with it?"

"You were, weren't you?" The tall figure turned to look at him, brown eyes dark. "If you weren't, Jess probably did. He's a walking promotion for all the reasons Roslin's still here."

"You resent her, or at least her presence here." Adam held a hand up and shook his head to stop any protests. "It doesn't matter why right now, Brennan. The reasons she's here haven't changed. And between her empathy and her telepathy, she knows how you feel. She hasn't even had to read you. Toby picked up on it just from your surface thoughts."

Brennan growled slightly, throwing himself back into the chair. "So it's my fault her power's freaking out."

"I didn't say that." Adam got up, circling his desk to hitch a hip up on the corner. "Her telepathy is fluctuating erratically. That has nothing to do with you and everything to do with Paragon and what Juliana's people did to her. But your mental voice, along with your resentment, is making it harder for Roslin to deal with the fluctuations when they happen."

Brennan stared down at his hands, cracking his knuckles before answering. "Whatever, Adam. What do you want me to do about it?"

It wasn't the answer Adam wanted, but it was better than he'd expected. "Make yourself scarce for a day or two, Brennan. Try and figure out what's going on in your head. Toby and I will work with Roslin and see if we can't help her with her control."

"Is the garage far enough away, or are you exiling me to a safe-house?" There was a certain amount of bitterness in the words, but Adam had expected that.

"The garage should do fine. To be on the safe side, I'll have Jesse set up an EM field down there."

Brennan nodded, his voice just a touch chastened as he finally asked the question he'd purposefully avoided. "Is she okay?"

"She will be once she sleeps off the migraine. I don't expect she'll be up and around before tomorrow morning."

Brennan nodded once. "Anything else?"

"That's all, Brennan." Adam nodded toward the door. "Let me know if you run into any problems. I've already talked to Jess and he knows this subject is off limits."

"As if he'll let it stay there." Adam got more a sense of the comment than the actual words, but he was pretty certain about the content as Brennan left the room. It wasn't going to be an easy few days. That much was glaringly clear.

* * *

I left Adam's office thinking hard. Adam knew I was concerned, but he didn't know just how concerned I really was. I hadn't told anyone about the late night encounters with Roslin, and from what I could tell, she hadn't said anything either. After the other night, I was more than a little worried about Roslin having another nightmare.

I detoured to one of the computers in the lab and pulled up Roslin's file. Adam, being Adam, had already logged the drug he'd given her and his expectations of its effectiveness. A quick look gave me an idea of when Roslin was likely to wake up. I closed everything back down and left the lab before Adam could catch me there.

I needed something to keep my mind and body occupied for a while. It wouldn't hurt if I could release some of my frustrations as well, so I decided to spend an hour or two in the dojo to start. I had to stop by my room to change clothes, and it was hard not to check in on Roslin, though I already knew what I'd find. She'd be sleeping the sleep of the drugged for most of the day. That was all that let me convince myself to go straight to the dojo for a good hard workout.

The workout took up a couple of hours. After a quick shower, food and coffee, I sat down in front of my computer. It was time to fall back on my old stand-by. I scanned my current projects, reminding myself of what needed to be done on each one. Finally I selected one, but before I opened it, I set an alarm on my desktop. Diving into the code, I let it sweep away all the worries and concerns for a few hours.

I surfaced from the code to the beeping of the alarm I'd set. Rolling my shoulders and neck, I stretched for a few seconds before turning the alarm off and saving my work. I had enough time to refuel, so I headed for the kitchen and a couple of slices of pizza.

While I was waiting for the microwave, I scanned the cabinets. My eyes stopped when they came across Roslin's teas. I mulled an idea around in my head while I ate and couldn't find any downsides to it. After dumping my plate in the sink, I rummaged through the lower cabinets, finding what I was looking for after a few minutes.

Pulling the electric kettle out of the cabinet, I gave it a quick once over but couldn't see anything wrong with it. I set it on the counter, then pulled a mug from the cabinet, and the tea infuser from a drawer. I hesitated for a moment over the teas themselves. Finally, I grabbed two - the one for headaches and the one for sleep - and made my way to Roslin's room.

She'd probably sleep for a while longer yet, but as the drug wore off, the likelihood of a nightmare increased. And I didn't want her to wake up alone given the way she was likely to be feeling. I also didn't want to take a chance that the sound of the door might wake her, so I phased through it. It took me a minute to adjust to the darkness. Once I had, I moved to the bathroom and left the kettle, mug, and teas there.

The chair Adam had used was still in place, and I settled into it, my eyes on Roslin. For the moment she was still sleeping quietly. I felt some of the tension drain away just seeing her. Stretching my legs out, I leaned back in the chair to think as I kept an eye on her.

A small movement pulled my attention away from my thoughts, and I frowned. A small crease had appeared between Roslin's eyebrows, something I had seen before. Either the drug was wearing of enough for the pain to start coming though, or she was beginning a nightmare. Pulling my legs in, I leaned forward, brushing some hair from her face. I ran my hand over her hair, then stroked her arm lightly. She settled, but the crease remained. That meant it was the pain coming through.

I sighed, taking her hand and running my thumb over the back of it. There wasn't anything I could do but wait until she woke up. I only hoped the migraine had subsided somewhat while she slept. Like Adam, I was leery of giving her another dose of the drug - or of any other.

It didn't take much longer before she really started to wake up. A soft moan accompanied her hand tightening around mine, and I watched her face. She blinked several times before her eyes opened completely, and she rubbed her forehead with her free hand. She looked at me for a few seconds, eyes glassy.

"Jesse?"

"Yeah, its me, Roslin. How're you feeling?" I keep my voice low, watching her carefully. That she was hurting was clear. The question was how much? I was never sure whether or not she would tell me.

"Where's the truck that hit me? Her voice was still rough with sleep, and soft, though she winced slightly at the sound of it.

"I'm afraid it got away. Think you could stomach one of your teas? I brought down the ones for headache and sleep."

Roslin closed her eyes and I could almost see her going through a mental checklist. When she opened them again, she nodded carefully. "The headache tea, Jess. It feels like someone's using the inside of my skull for a drum."

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting it go and standing up. It only took a minute to get the electric kettle going and fill the tea infuser. That done, I returned to the bedroom and helped Roslin sit up against the headboard.

It wasn't until the kettle beeped that I realized I hadn't known how it indicated the water was hot - I was thankful it didn't whistle like a regular kettle. I poured the hot water over the infuser and brought the mug out to Roslin. She offered me a hint of a smile in exchange, though the green eyes were dark with pain. She wrapped both hands around the mug and blew across the top of the liquid for nearly a minute, before swallowing it down.

Her hands were shaking slightly as she lowered the mug. I gave her a crooked half-smile as I took the mug from her and set it on the nightstand.

"You should get some more rest, Roslin. Adam was hoping the drug he gave you would keep you out longer. He doesn't expect to see you until tomorrow morning."

"Probably be asleep as soon as the tea kicks in." Her voice was a little slurred and I took a closer look at Roslin. Behind the pain in her eyes was exhaustion, as odd as that might seem considering how long she'd been asleep. I'd expected it though.

"Why don't you lay back down?" I didn't wait for her to respond, instead helping her lay back down. I couldn't help running my hand from her shoulder down to her hand as I did so. "I'll let you get the rest you need. I just didn't want you to wake up alone."

"Jess?" She turned her hand and wrapped her fingers around mine. "Don't go, please?"

"You need your rest, Roslin." She did, but that didn't mean I didn't want to stay with her. Roslin looked at our hands, hesitating for a few seconds.

"The headaches… the pain makes me dream more." She chewed on her bottom lip and continued, her voice quieter and hard to hear. "Now that the drug's worn off, the nightmare…"

I'd been right to worry, and I gave her hand a squeeze. "If you want me to stay, I'll stay."

She gave my hand a little tug, her voice turning questioning, though she didn't actually ask. "It didn't come back when I slept in your room, Jess."

I reinforced my mental shields before Roslin had a chance to realize what she was doing to me. Did she have any clue how much I wanted to sleep with her safe in my arms? I argued with myself for a few seconds before kicking off my shoes. I released her hand just long enough to climb onto the bed behind her.

I felt her trembling ease as I wrapped an arm around her, felt some of the tension drain away.

"Thank you, Jess."

Roslin spoke on the edge of sleep and I barely heard the words, but I gave her hand a squeeze. Within a few minutes, she was sleeping, this time a natural undrugged sleep. I waited a bit to make sure she wasn't going to wake up. Lifting her hand, I dared to kiss the back of it before letting it go and contacting Adam via my commlink.

I let my mentor know that Roslin had woken up for a bit, and that she was sleeping again. I even told him I was staying to keep an eye on her for little while. He sounded more relieved than anything. He didn't ask any questions, and I didn't offer any answers. After thanking me for the update, he disconnected. I shifted, settling a bit more comfortably, content for the moment to hold Roslin while she slept.


	13. Chapter 13

_And events outside of Sanctuary are about to catch up with Mutant X_

* * *

It had been a quiet couple of days, until an alert popped up on Adam's screen, notifying him of an incoming communication. There was a certain amount of annoyance as his attention was drawn away from the genetic data on his screen. At the rate things were going, he was never going to be able to finish this study. Jarod had his own people working on the same project, but none of them were the expert in genetics and possible mutations that he was. A glance at the alert told him he did need to deal with it though, so he saved the data and accepted the communication.

A few minutes later, his fingers rattled against the keys of his keyboard as he initiated several searches. The frown on his face grew as a few of the searches led to additional queries. Finally, he leaned back and studied the information on the screen, eyes narrowed.

After a bit, he shunted the data to Jesse's favorite computer station and left his office. The younger man, if he was at the computer, would get the alert that Adam had sent some data to him, and would probably be looking at it by the time Adam got there. If Jess wasn't on the computer, unlikely given the molecular's tendency to bury himself in the data streams when he was worried or upset, Adam would find him and bring him up to speed on the nature of the information. Jesse was better than Adam was at hacking into other systems, and Adam had a feeling he'd need the younger man's expertise to confirm what he'd found.

It didn't take long to locate Jesse, though the blond man wasn't at his computer. He wasn't far away, having stepped into the kitchen for a snack and a refill of his coffee. Apparently the delay in his return to his computer was due to the presence of Toby. Both men were sitting at the table, mugs in front of them. They didn't seem to be talking, but they both seemed to take some solace in the other's presence. That was something that Jess seemed to need as of late. The faint shadows under his eyes hadn't escaped Adam's notice. He disliked breaking things up, but he needed Jesse's help.

Toby noticed Adam lurking and offered his host a crooked smile. He nodded, standing up and saying something to Jesse too quietly for Adam to hear. Then he headed to his room

Jess swiveled to face Adam and gave his mentor a searching look. If he was prone to bury himself in the data streams, Adam was prone to bury himself in his research. It took something pretty important to pull him out. Nothing had come through on any of the underground communications, so something had to have come through Adam's private information sources to pull him out of his studies.

"Refill your mug, Jess. I have some data I need you to confirm."

Jesse's brow furrowed as he frowned. Adam could have just sent him the information and the request. There was no reason for him to come up, unless there was something special about the data. One look at Adam's expression stopped him from asking and questions for the moment though. He filled his mug and led the way back to his computer.

As he slid into the reclining chair, Adam pulled a seat up where he could see the monitors. Jesse saw the alert as soon as he unlocked the computer as cast a quick glance at the other man. Adam simply gestured toward the screens.

* * *

Curiosity and concern were enough to turn my attention back to the computer and I opened the data file Adam had sent me. It didn't take me long to scan through the information, or to come to some conclusions as to what it might mean. "How reliable is your source, Adam?"

I didn't want to believe what I was seeing, but I already knew how accurate Adam's sources usually were. True, they'd screwed up a few times, but mostly they were right.

"Normally? Utterly reliable." Adam leaned forward and pointed out two or three pieces of data. "In this case, I'm hoping they're wrong. They never knew about Roslin, so they're not infallible."

My fingers were still on the keyboard as I considered what Adam had just said. I really didn't want his sources to be right this time, anymore than Adam seemed to want it. Given his behavior though, I was afraid the information would turn out to be reliable.

"You want me to hack into Genomex and see if the break in actually happened?"I turned to look at Adam just in time to see him nod

"See what you can find out. If the break in did happen, Eckhart will have put the data under additional safeguards. I don't want you to try to grab it."

My lips twisted in a wry smile - my mentor knew me too well.

"Eckhart's not going to let that data out again, if someone did steal a copy of it. The people who stole it may be another matter entirely. If it really was stolen, I'm more concerned with finding them."

* * *

It took me some time to get into Genomex's computers. I hadn't taken the time to re-establish my backdoor hacks - I'd had other things on my mind. Eventually I did get in though, and after that, accessing the physical security systems was pretty straight forward.

Unfortunately, what I found there confirmed what Adam's source had told him. I did get a few more details, but they did nothing to reassure me. Security cameras had been blanked out - not looped, not static - actually grayed out for the period of the theft. And the statements on file all indicated a psionic of some sort was involved - probably a pretty strong telepath or empath. Someone capable of causing employees to think they were seeing someone they knew, in any case.

I was tempted to tell Adam that his source was wrong. I knew enough about how my mentor thought to be able to make an educated guess at our next steps. I didn't like some of the options that came to my mind, especially considering the probability that the psionic involved in the theft was either telepathic or empathic. I almost hoped Adam's sources wouldn't be able to track the thieves down. That was unlikely, given they already knew about them.

There was no doubt that we needed to get our hands on the data. I couldn't, and wouldn't, argue with that, having experienced the source virus behind the data myself. I just didn't like the potential problems we were going to run into while trying to retrieve it.

Sighing to myself, I pushed my concerns to the back of my mind, along with all the ones already there, and sent the data to Adam. I'd know soon enough what the results were.

* * *

It took a few days, even for Adam's sources, to get a lead on the thieves. In the end, news of the virus leaked out to the black market genetic community. That's how those sources obtained most of their information. Jesse was in the thick of the research, especially once a few details became available. It didn't take him long to locate an address.

Adam called the entire team into the office while Roslin and Toby were working on improving her control of her abilities. The others didn't know why he called the meeting, but Jess did. He was only hoping Adam had come to some different conclusions than he had. The blond spent most of Adam's explanation brooding.

"I'm sending the four of you, and Roslin, in to retrieve a copy of the data."

"What?!"

"No way, Adam!"

Jesse and Brennan might have different reasons for their reactions, but their exclamations were both incredulous and almost simultaneous.

Adam's eyebrows rose as he crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. He wasn't really surprised by either protest, had been expecting them really. But he had hoped that at least one of the young men would have taken a minute to think things through before making his protest. Then again, by the somewhat mulish look on Jesse's face, maybe he had already thought it through.

"Adam, she's not part of the team. And her telepathy is still a problem. That's why Logan's here in the first place, right?"

Brennan was standing, both hands braced on the back of a chair. Jess had his arms crossed over his chest and seemed willing to let his friend carry the argument for the moment.

Adam kept his voice calm, not reacting to Brennan's irritation. Apparently the elemental hadn't gotten over whatever his problem with Roslin was.

"According to the reports, the mutant leading these thieves is an extremely powerful telepath. None of you, including Emma, can shield your thoughts from him on your own. Roslin, on the other hand, is strong enough to either shield you from him or, if necessary, distract him from your presence."

He pushed away from the desk, circling behind it and taking a seat. "She and Toby have made a lot of progress over the past few days. Unless she has another severe fluctuation in her ability, she should have no trouble doing what needs to be done. In addition, she'll be staying with the Double Helix, not going in with you."

Brennan glared at the older man for several seconds, he reply almost a growl. "You're not giving us any other options, are you?"

A shake of Adam's head was all the response he needed. The elemental paced across the office, putting some distance between himself and Adam.

"What if she does have a fluctuation in her ability, Adam?" Jesse's voice was controlled and reasonable, though what it was costing him to keep it that way was something Adam didn't want to think about. He'd begun to notice an almost disturbing intensity about Jess when it came to anything having to do with Roslin. "And what about Toby? Wouldn't he be a better choice?"

"She had a significant fluctuation while she and Toby were working yesterday. As long as nothing breaks her defenses, she can handle it. She'll walk away with a headache, but she's not going to lose control like she did before. As far as Toby is concerned, he's not used to dealing with new mutants. Plus he works for the cops. Sending him to steal something isn't an option."

Jesse didn't look convinced. Neither did Brennan. Neither seemed like they were going to offer any additional protest though. Adam knew it was because they really didn't have any other solid reasons to protest. Neither man wanted Roslin out in the field, but they didn't have any other solutions to suggest either. Adam gave each of them a look, inviting them to say something if they did have anything else. When he was certain they weren't going to, he continued.

"Word on the streets is that the virus data is going to be auctioned off in two days. That means you're going in tomorrow. Jesse has the details on the location. Unfortunately, there aren't many cameras in the area. It's pretty far out of the city. I'll see what else I can find out, but it probably won't be much."

"So what's the plan, Adam?" It was Shalimar who asked, and Adam sighed. He didn't have much of an answer for her.

"I want Roslin to stay in the Double Helix, or at least as close as she can to it. Emma, you'll be able to sense any guards who might get in your way. Jess, your primary job is to pull the data. I don't think the thieves have a terribly sophisticated system and you'll be working it from the inside. If necessary, one of the others can probably do it, but you'll be be fastest. Shal, Brennan, you're there to take care of anyone you do run into. Roslin will have a way to communicate with you. Not a comm-link, but something that should work almost as well."

Shalimar and Emma nodded. Jess just pushed away from the wall he'd been leaning against, shooting Adam a look that said he was far from happy. Brennan headed straight for the door, drawing Emma with him. Adam could only hope it was to work on strengthening his mental defenses so Roslin wouldn't have to face that pressure in addition to the rest of it. He hadn't told her about the situation yet, much less that he intended for her to go with the team.

He expected almost as much protest from Roslin herself as the boys had given him. Luckily, he could anticipate most of her objections, and Toby would back him up. The telepath was impressed both by how hard Roslin was willing to work at getting better control over her abilities, and just how much progress she'd made.

Despite what Jesse and Brennan might think, this plan wasn't his first choice. If they'd had a little more time, Adam would have found some way to draw the thieves out or distract them. But there wasn't any time, and Roslin was fully capable of what he was asking her to do.

* * *

Roslin hadn't slept well. Toby told her that Adam wanted both of them in his office first thing in the morning. Unfortunately, he hadn't given her any clue as to why. Her mind had come up with entirely too many possibilities, none of them good.

She and Toby arrived at the same time. Roslin settled gingerly into one of the chairs in front of Adam's desk. Toby leaned against the other, but didn't sit down. That didn't help her nerves in the least.

"Roslin, I need to you to help the team out today." Adam gave her a slight smile. "Toby agrees that you're ready for this. The team is going out to retrieve some data from a group of thieves who are also new mutants. One of them is a strong telepath."

Roslin chewed on a nail, green eyes watching Adam warily as he continued.

"All you need to do is make sure the telepath doesn't realize the team is there. You don't have to go anywhere near the building. In fact, I want you to stay with the Double Helix. Emma's going to be busy helping the others avoid any of the guards, so the team really needs your help."

Roslin folded her hands very carefully in her lap, then looked at Toby. The other telepath smiled crookedly and nodded. "You can handle it, Roslin."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "If you're certain you really need me Adam, and you're willing to take the chance, I'll do my best."

"Thank you, Roslin. Go grab something to eat. I'll brief you all in a little while."


	14. Chapter 14

_Two more chapters until I'm caught up to the parts I haven't edited. Unfortunately things are getting busy, so I can't guarantee I'll be able to keep up the every other day posting after Chapter 16. I'll try, but no promises._

* * *

Adam gave Roslin a little bit of time to think before calling the team together. He went over the basic outline of the plan with them. Unfortunately there were too many variables to make a definitive plan, so they'd playing it mostly by ear. Adam and Toby would be listening in from Sanctuary, ready to provide any assistance they could. If the team was lucky, the telepath would be out trying to drum up customers and only his followers would be at the location Jesse had found.

Not that Adam or the others were going to count on luck. At need, Roslin could contact the others with her telepathy, but that was an uncomfortable thought for everyone involved. Not to mention that the other telepath, if he was there, might notice telepathic conversations going on. A more mundane, but still useful solution had presented itself, and Roslin was wearing a silver, claspless bracelet on her left wrist. It didn't have all the functionality of the comm-links, but it would do for a single mission.

Brennan and Shal took the pilot and co-pilot seats. Roslin opted for the seat nearest the exit. It put her as far away as possible from Brennan, and out of view of the rest of the team as well. She was nervous, probably more worried about whether or not she could handle this than any of them were. That was the last thing she wanted any of them to know though. She owed the entire team, and so far she'd done little to pay them back for all the trouble they'd gone through for her sake.

And then there was the nightmare to consider as well. She hadn't forgotten about it.

The flight was quiet. Everyone knew the plan, and there was no reason to speculate on what might or might not work the way they expected. It was quiet, but not relaxed. There was a silent tension that seemed to grow as they got closer to the target. It wasn't until they were almost on top of the place that Roslin realized not all the pressure on her mental defenses was coming from the other people in the Double Helix. She glanced forward, and though she couldn't see more than Emma's profile, there was a hint of a frown on the tele-empath's face. So it wasn't just her.

Roslin debated with herself for several minutes, then lowered her mental shields just a tiny bit. She caught a mental voice that didn't belong, floating on a wave of satisfaction. She listened, frowning slightly. It was uncomfortable, but not painful, at least not yet - it seemed like the work she'd been doing with Toby was helping. Concentrating, Roslin found she was able to listen to that voice and still keep an awareness of the team in the back of her mind, even as that voice and emotions that came with it grew stronger.

It was Emma's voice that brought her back to her current surroundings. "Adam said this telepath was strong. I think he was right - I'm feeling someone's emotions and given the satisfaction in them, I'm guessing its him."

She glanced back at Roslin. "Roslin, are you getting anything?"

Roslin blinked a few times and inhaled. "Uh, yeah. That's him. The closer we get, the stronger his emotions and thoughts get."

"Well, at least we know he's home and Adam's distractions didn't work." That was Brennan's voice, though most of his attention was still on flying.

Roslin let the conversation wash over her, concentrating on the telepath's voice and emotions instead. As she got a feel for both, she found she could almost set them to the side and listen for other voices as well. She hardly noticed when Brennan landed the Helix. It was the motion of the other's leaving their seats that got her attention. She shook her head slightly and stood up.

* * *

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Brennan's voice cut through her thoughts, and Roslin glanced at the others. She was supposed to stay with the Helix, but she already realized that wasn't going to work.

"The telepath's too loud. I can't hear the guards from here." She nodded at the tablet Jesse held. "Jess, bring up the map. If I remember, there's a shed about halfway to the main building."

Her friend frowned, but brought up the map and nodded as he looked at it. "Clear ground between here and there." He shrugged slightly. "Is he really that loud, Roslin?"

Roslin only nodded, but Emma spoke up. "If his emotions are any indication, he is, Jess. I'd bet his thoughts are actually even louder."

"Look, I know I was supposed to stay here, but that's not going to work." Roslin looked at the others. "I can't do what I'm here for from here. The shed should be close enough, and still keep me far enough away from any action, if that's what you're worried about."

Brennan frowned and shrugged. Emma gave her a slight smile. Jess didn't look happy, but he didn't say anything. Roslin had to wonder if he was remembering her nightmare too. Shalimar just headed for the exit. "Let's get going then."

The shed wasn't in directly line of sight from the Double Helix, and it took a few minutes for them to get to it. When they did, they found it was in sad shape. It looked like it might collapse if the door was opened. Roslin shrugged to herself. She only needed to stay out of sight, she didn't need actual cover.

Emma didn't agree. "Roslin, you can't stay here by yourself."

There was a touch of anxiety in the other woman's voice and Roslin frowned. "Why not? No one's going to see me and that's all I need."

Exasperation tinged Emma's voice and she looked at the rest of the team, not Roslin, as she spoke. "I've worked with you, Roslin. If you're concentrating on your telepathy, you're not going to be paying attention to your surroundings. If someone does stumble out this way, you're not going to notice them until it's too late."

"No ones going to come out here, Emma."

"You don't know that," Jesse broke in, a stubborn look on his face.

They didn't have time for this, something Roslin remembered even if the rest of them didn't seem to. She opened her mouth to argue, but Brennan beat her to it. "Jess, give us the flash drive and stay here with her. We've gotta get moving."

Jess hesitated, then sighed. He'd never liked the idea of leaving Roslin alone, but she'd have been safe enough in the Helix. And everything needed to grab the data was on the drive. He dug it out of his pocket and tossed it to Brennan. "Don't fry it, okay?"

Brennan laughed, handing the drive to Shalimar. "There, safe from frying, okay?"

Jess smiled slightly as Brennan, Shal, and Emma faded around the shed and headed for the main building. He eyed Roslin, but as soon it had become apparent the others were going to capitulate, she'd turned her attention back to the telepath. Jess sighed. It looked like Emma had been all too accurate in her assessment. Roslin did need someone to watch her back while she did her job.

* * *

I took a look around, circling the shed, but the area was as empty as I'd expected. When I got back, I watched Roslin. She seemed unaware of me, but she proved otherwise a few minutes later, her voice and gaze both distant. "They're almost to the main building. I think I've got the security dialed in too."

Roslin blinked and shook herself, green eyes losing some of their distance. "Did you bring the tablet with you, Jess?"

"Um, yeah. Here."

I'd half expected her to remain distant even as she broke whatever connections she'd been holding with her abilities. I handed the tablet over, watching as she glanced at the map, then opened the floor plans for the building. It was an old set of plans - the only ones we could get - but at least it gave us the major structural features of the building, like where the doors and stairs were.

Roslin studied the floor plans for several minutes, fingers tapping on the edge of the tablet. Finally she looked up and smiled slightly. "I'm going to try something. If it doesn't work, it won't hurt anything. If it does, the others should have a clear entrance."

She shrugged and moved closer to the shed, sitting on the ground and leaning against it. "It's going to take most of my attention for a few minutes, Jess."

As if following the others hadn't taken most of her attention? I just shrugged and gave her a small smile. "I'll watch your back, Roslin. Don't worry."

That got a genuine smile from her, and her eyes softened. "I never doubted it, Jess. I trust you."

Now why would those words mean so much more now than they had on the few occasions she'd said them back at Sanctuary? Maybe because this time I got the feeling she wasn't just saying them to make me feel better, or as an almost automatic reaction when she was upset. She really did trust me to watch her back in a potentially dangerous situation. There weren't words for how that trust felt. Given her background, I knew trust and having someone to watch her back weren't easy to accept. Given what Juliana and her people had done to Roslin, it was that much more amazing that she trusted me to watch her back.

My attention was drawn back to Roslin herself as she inhaled deeply and sat up a bit straighter. While I'd been woolgathering, she'd been doing whatever she'd wanted to do. I sat down next to her. She blinked once or twice before looking at me with a slightly weary smile. Lifting her left hand, she toggled the button on her bracelet that opened the comm channels. "Use the southeast door, guys. Most of the security should be up around the northwest corner of the building now."

There was no answer for several seconds, and then Emma's voice came through the comm-links. "Got it. Thanks, Roslin."

I looked at Roslin, raising an eyebrow. If I was guessing right, she'd somehow provided a distraction that had pulled most of the guards to the opposite end of the building.

"I just gave the guards a hint of what they were already looking for." The words were accompanied by a smile, but Roslin's eyes were already growing distant again, as she reconnected with the others and the guards they were trying to avoid. She glanced down at the floor plans on the tablet, then toggled the communications again. "As far as I can tell, you should be clear. I think they've got the old storage room set up as their server hub."

"Got it." This time, it was Brennan who answered. "We'll let you know when we've got the data."

Roslin shook herself and seemed to come back to the here and now. She offered me a smile and knocked on the wooden door jamb of the shed. "Everything seems to be running smoothly, so far."

I chuckled. "At least as much as anything ever does. Let's hope we don't have any last second surprises.

She nodded, still slightly distracted. She didn't have to keep constant contact with the others, or a 'mental' ear on the guards, but Roslin obviously believed in being safe, rather than sorry. Not that it surprised me. And I certainly wasn't going to argue with her caution. I wasn't fond of last second surprises, and those were my friends out there.

Roslin didn't seem inclined to talk, so I got up and made another circuit of the shed. When I got back to where she was sitting, I slid down the wall to sit next to her. Moving carefully so I didn't startle her, I took the tablet from her, pulling up a new application. The tablet was linked to the systems in the Double Helix. That allowed me to pull up the few camera feeds there were in area. After a quick scan of them, I closed the application and handed the tablet back to Roslin.

"They're at the server hub, but the guards are starting to disperse. I'm going to see if I can slow that down a bit." Roslin looked at me and I pushed myself to my feet with a nod.

"I'll keep an eye out."

I made the circuit slowly, a bit surprised that when I got back that Roslin was still clearly somewhere else. I frowned, watching her from a few steps away. Roslin had closed her eyes, and her brow was creased in concentration. After another minute or two, it became clear she wasn't completely unaware of her surroundings. "He's using his telepathy to check on each of the guards. I need to distract him before he finds the others."

Biting her lower lip, Roslin opened her eyes, blinking a few times before looking at Jesse. "Jess, it's going to take all my attention. He's really strong."

If anything, my frown grew. There was no way for usto know just how strong this telepath was, or if Roslin was stronger. If she wasn't at least his equal, or if he caught her by surprise, he might be able to control any telepathic link between them. The fact that Roslin said anything about it was an indicator of her own concerns. And it wasn't just what the mental consequences of any contact might be that had me worried. I'd seen what physical consequences using her abilities could have. If this telepath was as strong as Roslin implied, she was likely to have a migraine by the time we were done.

Roslin pursed her lips and her gaze turned questioning. I shook his head slightly and offered a sheepish smile. "Are you sure, Roslin?"

She nodded and took a deep breath. "I need to get back to it before he realizes the others are there."

"Got it. Be careful." I stepped close enough to rest a hand on her shoulder as Roslin closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the shed wall. Once it was clear her attention was fulling engaged in her task, I activated my comm-link. "Hey guys, keep an eye out. Roslin said the guards are dispersing and the telepath is using his powers to stay in touch with them. She's trying to distract him, but I don't know how long that will work. Get out of there as soon as you can."

"Emma's keeping a psychic eye out, Jess. Bren's downloading the data now, so it should be just another couple of minutes." Shalimar's voice was quiet but clear over the comm-link. "We'll let you know when we're on our way out."


	15. Chapter 15

_Straight into the action -_

* * *

Roslin was more concerned about the situation than she let on to Jesse. After closing her eyes, she took another minute or two to recenter herself, and then reached out to touch the team with her ability. They were all concentrating on their jobs, so she turned her attention to the guards. Most of them were still reacting to the earlier thoughts she'd sent them, but a few had refocused their attention and were heading back to their original locations.

There wasn't any time. Roslin took a deep breath and concentrated on keeping her mental voice strong and confident as she interrupted the telepath's orders to one of the guards.

 _ **Jeez, you're loud. Ever think of using a more conversational volume?**_

 _ **You're not one of mine. Who are you? And why should it matter to me?**_

 _ **Maybe because I heard you miles away and you had no clue I was here?**_

 _ **And your presence means what to me? You didn't answer my first question.**_

 _ **I'm the one whose team was in and out of your building before your people realized there was even an attempt. You're no longer the only one with the information you stole from Genomex.**_

There was a long pause and when the other voice came back, it held an edge of anger. Roslin didn't need that know the telepath was upset. Her empathy picked up his emotions just as clearly as her telepathy picked up his mental voice.

 _ **I doubt that. You wouldn't still be here if your people were already gone. I will find them…And you.**_

 _ **The only reason I'm still here is because I wanted to see how long it would take you to realize your people aren't very good at their jobs.**_

His answer didn't come as words, but as a strong push against her defenses. Roslin had been expecting something of the sort. Given his somewhat volatile emotions, she'd expected it sooner. So she was ready for it. Or at least she'd thought she was. It rocked her, but her defenses stayed up.

She'd hoped they were about the same strength, but she wasn't that lucky. He hadn't put everything behind that push - it had been more in the way of a test. He was stronger than she was, but she didn't think he'd figured that out yet, and he didn't know that telepathy wasn't her only ability. That should give her an advantage if she needed it.

He pushed again, this time a bit harder. It was difficult, and it hurt, but her defenses stayed up. Time to do something other than sit back and wait.

 _ **Really? Force? I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You depend on the strength of your ability to get what you want. It probably never occurred to you that there are other ways to get it.**_

 _ **If you really did steal it, I doubt you'd give it back just for the asking.**_

 _ **Just for the asking? No. But it really depends on why we stole it from you in the first place, doesn't it? Why did you want it in the first place?**_

 _ **I didn't want Genomex to have it. And the money wasn't bad either.**_

 _ **Then you only accomplished part of what you wanted. You got a copy. Genomex still has the original data.**_

Silence again, and Roslin took the opportunity to reinforce her shields, despite the headache that was beginning to make itself known.

* * *

I watched Roslin, though there wasn't much to watch. There was no way to tell what was going through her mind, or what was happening in her effort to distract the telepath. Her expression was almost as blank as mine can be at times. I hadn't realized how frustrating that could be for someone else until then. Still, there were no signs of pain in Roslin's face, and I had to take that as a good sign. The one thing that was clear was that her attention was completely on what she was doing, with none left to spare for anything, or anyone, else.

I made another circuit and checked the video feeds, but then I was left with nothing to do again. Pacing wasn't productive, but I couldn't sit down, or even stand still. I'm used to knowing what's going on, and at that moment, I didn't have a clue. That made me nervous. I'd feel a lot better when the others got back.

To be honest, I was also feeling a bit useless. I knew things could change in a second if anyone headed out in our direction. And Roslin was counting on me to watch her back if something did go wrong. That made me feel a bit better and helped me stay focused. Besides bored was better than the alternative, even if I had to keep reminding myself of that.

As I turned, I caught movement from Roslin. She'd tensed up and more than concentration creased her brow. As I watched, she inhaled sharply and jerked a bit against the shed. A frown formed on her lips and her body jerked again. Then she seemed to relax a bit, though her eyes squeezed shut tighter.

"Jess, we got it. We're on our way out." Brennan's voice coming from the comm-link startled me. He sounded a bit out of breath, which meant they might have run into a guard or two. I took a look at Roslin and sighed before answering. "Okay, Bren. Get back here as soon as you can. Roslin's keeping the telepath busy, but I don't know how much longer she can keep it up."

If Brennan answered, I didn't hear it. I made my way over to Roslin, kneeling at her side. I was hoping to get a little of her attention without causing her to lose the connection she had with the telepath.

"Roslin," I kept my voice low and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Just nod if you can hear me."

Several seconds passed and I was afraid she was beyond my immediate reach. Then she nodded slowly, her eyes still closed.

"The others are on their way back. Just hold his attention for a few more minutes."

She nodded again, then inhaled deeply. I didn't expect any other response, but she spoke, her voice distant. "Get the Helix ready. I'll come back with the others."

I hesitated. If I left, she'd have no one to keep an eye out for her. No one to watch her back. The last thing I wanted to do was leave her alone and unprotected.

"Go, Jess." She frowned, then opened her eyes a bit to look at me. Her gaze wasn't completely focused, but I could tell she was giving me as much attention as she could spare. "I can't keep contact with him and get back to the Helix at the same time. When the others get here, I can let the connection go."

I didn't like it - in fact, I hated it - but I couldn't argue with her reasoning either. A quick check of the video feeds showed there was no one headed in this direction at the moment other than Bren, Shal, and Emma. There might be, if someone saw them, but even if that happened, Roslin wouldn't be out here alone. The others would be watching their backs, and by extension, hers. That should keep her out of trouble.

"You'll have a better view from the Helix, Jess." Roslin had closed her eyes again, her voice more distracted. She had a point. I growled under my breath, but the quicker I could get the Helix off the ground once everyone got back, the better chance we had of a clean getaway. I stayed a minute longer, indecisive, until it occurred to me that the only way I was going to get Roslin back to the Helix before the others arrived was if I carried her. And she called me stubborn. That realization made, I picked up the tablet and sprinted for the Helix, firing up the engines and surveillance systems as soon as I was in the pilot's seat.

* * *

Suddenly Roslin lost her connection with the team. Or rather, it was overwhelmed as the telepath made another attempt to get past her defenses. He didn't, but his attempt psychically blinded her for several minutes and came close to doing the same physically. She barely noticed as the others came around the corner of the shed, though all three skidded to a stop when they saw her.

"Come on, Roslin. Time to go." Brennan sounded a bit harassed as he reached down to pull her up from where she was sitting. She flinched away from his hand, then shook her head, as much to recenter herself as to negate his words.

"Go, I'll be right behind you."

All three stared at her as she pushed herself to her feet with the help of the wall.

"Go!"

Emma nodded, but it still took a few more valuable seconds before the three moved. Roslin was trying to contain the headache that blossomed as soon as she was on her feet. She wasn't all that certain she was going to be able to make it back to the Helix, at least not at any speed. But she wasn't going to let her nightmare come true if there was any way to prevent it.

Her defenses bowed, holding for a moment before finally imploding. Roslin whimpered, but she'd planned for the possibility as soon as she'd realized how strong the other telepath was. Gathering all her pain, anger, and other negative emotions, she grabbed for the connection he was still holding to her instead of trying to sever it. It only took seconds for her to send those gathered emotions across the link and the connection broke abruptly.

Roslin sagged against the shed, sharp streaks of pain rebounding inside her head. She'd broken the connection with the telepath and even gotten a flash of him, but her defenses were down. He'd been able to figure out roughly where she was before the connection went down, and he didn't intend to let her go. As soon as he recovered from the emotional blast she'd sent him, he was going to push for control again. And she couldn't prevent him with her defenses gone. Now that she knew who he was, she doubted she would have been able to prevent it even with her defenses at full force, not if he put all his attention to it.

Roslin's mind clicked through a mental list. She couldn't get back to the Helix before the telepath tried again. She couldn't get her defenses back up quickly enough, and she could sense people already headed her way from the main building. Roslin knew she wasn't going to get away.

But the others had to. Adam needed the data they had, and they had all done their jobs. She was the one who'd failed at hers. She wasn't going to let them suffer for her failure. They were waiting on her, and Roslin knew them all well enough to know they wouldn't leave her behind if it could be helped - not even Brennan. With Jess at the Helix's controls, it would be even more difficult to get them to leave. Unless she didn't give them a choice. If she was going to get caught anyway, she could at least ensure the others got away.

Roslin centered her thoughts as best as she could around the pain in her head. She gathered up the knowledge of their opponent's identity and every bit of her mental strength and lightly touched each member of Mutant X with her ability. Once she was certain she'd connected with each of them, she took a tighter grip on the connections. She would only have the one chance, so she threw all her energy into a psychic blast - both telepathic and empathic - with one command they'd be unable to counter for a short, but crucial, time.

 _ **GO!**_

As the streaking pain in her head exploded into continuous lightning, Roslin struggled to maintain the contact. It slipped away, but not before she was sure Jesse and Brennan had reacted, taking the Double Helix into the air and pointed toward Sanctuary. She slid down the wall of the shed as her knees gave out, wondering if she'd still be conscious when the guards reached her.


	16. Chapter 16

_This is the last of pre-edited chapters. I have a couple of deadlines coming up, so unless I get some major inspiration, it may be a while before the next chapter can be posted._

* * *

They were all sitting in the Helix, even Brennan starting to wonder where Roslin was. The psychic command, unexpected, carried by telepathy, and backed by emotion swept over the team, leaving them no choice but to obey. The Double Helix was almost halfway back to Sanctuary before any of them registered what had happened.

"Oh my god. That was Ashlocke. We have to go back!" The words started quietly enough as Jesse realized what Roslin must have done. By the time he finished, his voice was clear to everyone.

"We can't Jess. That's why Roslin did what she did." Emma's voice held regret and sorrow, but it was firm. It took Brennan and Shalimar a minute or two longer to make the connections. Neither said anything for several minutes.

"Emma's right, bro. Adam needs this data or a whole lot more new mutants are going to get hurt. Roslin knew that. And she knew you wouldn't leave without her unless she didn't give you the option." Brennan's voice was thoughtful and the resentment that had been present lately when Roslin was mentioned was missing.

"But that was Ashlocke! She doesn't know what he can do. She can manage herself under most circumstances, but this is Ashlocke!" Worry was clear in Jesse's voice, but it was the look in his blue eyes as he turned to the others that told him how frantic he really was. Shalimar leaned forward, resting a hand on his arm.

"Jess, listen. Ashlocke's not going to do anything to her right away. He's going to want to know how she managed to help us get away. And Roslin's a survivor. You know that. She'll find a way to hold out until we can get to her. But first we have to get back to Adam. Don't make her efforts count for nothing, Jess."

The molecular rubbed a hand over his jaw, looking anywhere but at the others. He was looking out the front windshield, but his attention was at least partially with his team mates. After a bit he rubbed the back of his neck. "Fine. But you can take the data to Adam. Ashlocke won't stay back there now. I'm going to track him down."

The others looked at each other, concern - for Roslin, and Jess - coloring each expression. They all knew it was no use arguing with their friend. When he decided to be stubborn, nothing was going to move him. And there was nothing they could do for Roslin until they got back to Sanctuary and talked to Adam.

The rest of the flight was silent.

Emma watched Jesse, but it was clear she wasn't going to be able to get through to him, no matter how hard she tried. As the Helix landed, she spoke up. "I'll take the drive to Adam and fill him in."

Jess was half out of the craft before she even finished. Shal sighed, giving Emma a quick hug. "I'll go with you. I can't wait to see Adam's face when he finds out who that telepath really was."

"I'll keep an eye on Jess. At the very least I can make sure he has some coffee to keep him awake." Brennan shrugged slightly as the girls looked at him. "Maybe I can actually help him find something. Roslin deserves that much."

Brennan strode out of the Helix, never noticing the expressions of surprise on his friends' faces. Somehow, during the course of the mission, Brennan's attitude about Roslin had made a major change. Both women were glad to see it, but they couldn't help but wonder what had caused such a drastic shift.

* * *

Roslin was still conscious when the guards reached her. Their overly enthusiastic desire to get her back to their leader was too much for her head though. She passed out before they were halfway back.

She awoke alone, in an unfurnished, concrete room. No windows, no sounds immediately audible. Though given the migraine she had, she might not have heard anything over the drums in her head. Roslin carefully pushed herself up until she was sitting against the wall and sighed. She was coming to really hate concrete rooms.

At least she knew where she wasn't. The room showed signs of long disuse, maybe abandonment. The concrete rooms at Genomex and Paragon had both been spartan, but well maintained and definitely not abandoned. So she was safe from Eckhart, Harrison, and Juliana. At least for the moment.

She knew that didn't mean she was safe. It just meant that she didn't know what direction the danger would come from. Or maybe she did - she just didn't know how deep in trouble she was. She'd recognized Ashlocke from the brief mental glimpse she'd gotten, and she knew quite a bit about him. She had worked for Genomex and the GSA after all. It would have been hard not to know about him. The fact that she'd used her skills as a technical researcher just meant she had a bit more in-depth knowledge. At least she had some idea of how to deal with him to start.

After a few minutes, Roslin realized she wasn't feeling the subtle hum of a subdermal governor. Was it possible that Ashlocke hadn't taken any precautions against her using her ability? The walls didn't look like they had any anti-psionic tech built into them. Her mental defenses had returned to a minimal level while she was unconscious and the pressure on them was gone. They weren't back up completely, but they were there. It was going to hurt to lower them, but the information she might get would be worth it.

Roslin took a deep breath and lowered the few protections she had. It was like fire running through her head, but she was able to sense the emotions and thoughts of at least two other people. That was enough for now. Roslin curled up in a ball, closing her eyes and taking slow breaths until she could raise her defenses again.

She didn't manage to raise much more than the minimal defenses that kept other people's thoughts and feelings out of her head. She could still sense the presence of the other people. And thoughts and feelings that were even slightly stronger than normal would get through. But it was the best she could do until the migraine receded and she got some rest.

It didn't look like she was going to get the time she needed. At first it was just the vague sense of another person. It grew stronger until she couldn't help but read the surface thoughts and emotions. Ashlocke. He was simultaneously pleased and pissed off, though his surface thoughts did nothing to help Roslin determine why. They jumped all over the place, chaotic and mostly self-centered. But they were strong - she expected him to come through the door of her room several minutes before he did. When the door finally opened, the sense of presence he exuded was almost overwhelming.

He was tall, somewhere between Jesse and Brennan's heights. Light brown hair was worn a bit on the long side and he was wearing a self-satisfied smile. He was good looking, something that undoubtedly helped him gain followers.

The door closed behind him, so he wasn't worried about Roslin being able to overpower him. He was right in that at least. She doubted she'd be able to even stand up at that moment, much less take him on. Then again, given his powers, it was doubtful she'd be able to take him on even at her best. Still, combined with what she was picking up from him, it did indicate a rather confident opinion of his own abilities.

Roslin pushed herself up to a sitting position against the wall, folding her arms on her knees. After taking a deep breath, she looked at Ashlocke, waiting for him to tell her why he'd come. He, in turn, was watching her, and as the seconds passed he seemed confused by her apparent lack of recognition. The emotion grew until it was a combination of confusion and anger. Not surprising given his ego, but Roslin still waited.

"You're new. I know Adam's people, but I don't know you." He tilted his head to one side slightly, the hint of a smile on his lips even though his emotions didn't change. "They didn't tell you about me? After all the things we've shared in the past, I'm hurt."

He was anything but hurt. What he was feeling, what Roslin had no choice but to feel with him, was anger and ego. True or not, Ashlocke felt his actions against Mutant X should have been memorable enough for them talk about. He hated the idea that they'd forgotten about him, or, worse, didn't consider him worth mentioning. That gave her a better idea of what he would be expecting, and of how she might manage to get through this with the least amount of trouble.

"They didn't tell me much." Roslin shrugged. "I haven't been with them long. None of them really trust me yet."

Partly true - Brennan didn't.

Ashlocke's eyebrows rose and his eyes narrowed. After a moment, he took a step back to lean against the door, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm Gabriel Ashlocke."

Since she'd already known who he was, she didn't react to the name. Her lack of response brought a spike of anger and frustration from him, but he reined it in. His emotions were reflected in his voice when he continued. "Obviously, I'm a telepath, like you. Unlike you, I'm a bit more." His smile hardened a little and he shrugged his shoulders. "Genomex gave me abilities from all four categories of mutancy. Adam tried to give me a conscious."

Wonderful - the reports had been right - Ashlocke was a superpowered, new mutant sociopath. He had just told her what tact to take with him though, and her other abilities would make it convincing. "He seems to feel the need to provide a moral compass for anyone he meets." Roslin shrugged and rubbed her eyes, wishing Ashlocke had waited until she could think without the throbbing drums in her head interrupting.

His expression blanked for a split second. Whatever he'd been expecting, her reply hadn't been it. The confusion began to overpower the anger in this thoughts and emotions. That was just fine with Roslin. If she got him off-balance, she had a better chance of emerging unscathed from this. "He doesn't usually have to, at least not with his own people."

She shrugged again. "I wouldn't say I was one of 'his' people. I've only known him about two months. He asked for my help, said it'd be worth my time."

"Adam doesn't hire people to do things for him. Or send them out on sensitive jobs with his own people."

Oops. The migraine was interfering with her ability to think. Sighing, she closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her lips pursed in annoyance. "I owed him, and them. I hate owing anyone." She ran both hands through her hair and folded her arms on her knees again. "The GSA grabbed me and handed me over to a Dr. Harrison. Adam's people were there for something else, but they got me out."

"Sounds like you're a popular person. Also sounds like I shouldn't trust you." Gabriel didn't sound too concerned over whether or not he could trust her.

"It wasn't me they wanted. My telepathy maybe." Roslin rolled her shoulders and leaned her head back against the wall. "Whether or not you can trust me depends on what your offer is. If all you want to do is study me, forget it."

"How mercenary of you. How'd you manage to get past Adam's tele-empath?"

Roslin gave a short chuckle. "Emma? She doesn't like to pry, especially when it's someone they rescued from the GSA. And I was honestly happy and relieved to be out of Eckhart's and Harrison's hands. I just let her see what she expected to see."

She caught a moment of surprise from him. No suspicion, which was good. It meant he hadn't realized that it was Roslin and not Emma who'd blasted him empathically. It was something she was going to have to remember.

"I don't have much to offer." He gestured around the room. "No secret projects, no safe havens. No money really. My people are with me because they choose to be."

"So tell me why I should choose to follow you, Gabriel. Tell me what is worth more than money to make that choice." Her eyes held a hint of challenge as she looked at him.

Her challenge stoked his vanity, his ego. Most, if not quite all, of his people did indeed follow him completely of their own choice. Mostly because they believed what he'd told them when they'd first gotten him out of the stasis pod at Genomex. Roslin felt his curiosity and caught a surface thought. He was wondering if the same reasons would work on her. He pushed away from the wall, crossing the room to crouch down at her side. "Freedom. Freedom to make your own decisions. To choose when and why to use your abilities. Freedom from having to hide what your are and all the potential you have."

He sounded earnest and there was even a slight touch of honesty in his emotions, but only a touch. Still, it was enough that he'd probably buy it if she went along with it. Roslin let her eyebrows lift and she raised one hand to rest her chin on as she studied him.

"Interesting. Adam and the GSA just wanted to study me, or get my to use my abilities for their own goals." Her expression was more than a bit cynical. "Are you honestly saying you wouldn't want me to use my abilities for your goals if I was with you?"

A slightly smug smile formed on his lips and shook his head. "Nah. I'm not so selfless as all that. I'd ask, but the final decision would be yours. And I wouldn't hold it against you if you chose not to."

Oh, not that was a flat out lie, though Ashlocke didn't seem to realize she'd pick up on it. Nice to know where things stood. At least she had some warning up front.

She allowed some of the cynicism to slip from her expression. "Wow. I expected you to try to convince me you wouldn't even try. I like someone who's confident enough to be honest. I'll think about it."

He stood up with a crooked grin. "I'll leave you to do that then. Let me know when you've made up your mind. I'll see what I can do about some better accommodations." He flashed her a rather charming smile as he opened the door. "Don't take too long though. I'm not the most patient person in the world."

He nodded and closed the door behind himself. Roslin followed his presence until it faded completely. Only then did she let out a slow breath and allow herself to relax. At least for now she was relatively safe. How long that would last - how long she could continue along this particular path - Roslin didn't know. But she had some breathing space for the moment.


	17. Chapter 17

_Sorry it's short. It's definitely harder to keep to the schedule when the writing isn't already edited. I'll try to post more quickly, but work and health are getting in the way. Reviews would help ;)_

 _Just a reminder - this story is set in an AU. Mutant X has encountered Ashlocke before, but Ashlocke hasn't taken control of Genomex._

* * *

Juliana Nolan picked up the phone and dialed a number she'd memorized. As much as she disliked using contractors, the last thing she needed right now was to have Eckhart and his cronies at the GSA realize she'd been behind the theft of that virus data. If they started looking in her direction, they might manage to uncover her information source. If that happened, she'd lose access to the progress that Genomex and the GSA were making. Dr. Harrison really was doing some incredible work, even if he didn't know he was sharing it.

The inconvenience of using a contractor for this transaction was more than offset by the results - even if the contractor was trying to make a little extra profit. She was well aware he was planning to auction off a copy of the data. As long as she got it at the price she'd contracted for, Juliana didn't really care.

"Ashlocke."

"I gather you retrieved the data I hired you to get, since you're auctioning a copy of it off tomorrow night?" Irritation crept into Juliana's voice.

"Yeah, yeah. I was just about to call you. It was easy. Eckhart's security is laughable. They don't have a clue who stole it." Ashlock paused for a few seconds. "Mutant X figured it out, but then again Adam Kane has sources in all kinds of places."

Damn those new mutant troublemakers. She still hadn't been able to find out where they'd hidden Roslin. At least it didn't sound like Jarod had been with them though - that was a minor blessing.

Apparently her silence produced a touch of concern in Ashlocke's mind.

"They didn't get anything. And I have one vial of the actual virus, which I'm willing to let you have for an additional fee. A discounted fee, of course." Ashlocke chuckled. "Actually, they did leave something behind. A telepath. She's considering her employment options at the moment. She's rather more mercenary than most of Mutant X's associates usually are, actually."

Juliana's eyebrow quirked upward. A female telepath working with Mutant X? Surely there was no way they'd put Roslin at risk so soon? But if it was her fellow Pretender, she needed to find out. If it was Roslin, Juliana needed to find someway to convince Ashlocke to turn her over. Still, Ashlocke was turning out to be just a bit more cunning than she'd planned on. There was no point in giving him another bargaining chip at this point. Not until she knew if it was Roslin, at least.

Juliana was tempted to give him access to one of the secret research facilities. The security cameras would let her see him and his new recruit. It was definitely tempting… but not worth the possible repercussions, at least not yet. "I'll see what I can pry loose from the budget for the virus sample and get back to you."

"It's a pleasure doing business with an employer who understands how things should work, Ms. Nolan."

She could hear a bit of laughter in his voice. It made her wonder just what it was that she was missing. He was too pleased. Before she could figure it out, he disconnected the call. She hung up the phone slowly, her thoughts far away from her office.

* * *

"Damn it!"

The words exploded quietly as Jesse pushed the keyboard away. The exclamation made Brennan look away from his own screens. His friend was staring at the screen, popping his knuckles. From his expression, Brennan was glad Jess was a molecular and not an elemental - the screens in front of him would have been a scorched, bubbling mess.

"Jess?" Bren didn't really want that anger directed at him, but better him than the computers. If Jess got frustrated enough to mass out while he was in front of the computer, he'd only end up even more upset. Having to repair the hardware would slow down the search and leave Jess feeling guilty on top of it. Brennan was experiencing enough guilt for both of them as it was. "Something wrong?"

Jesse's eyebrows shot upward and he snapped at his friend, something he didn't do often. "Of course not, Bren. What could be wrong? Roslin's only in Ashlocke's oh-so-tender hands and the damned bracelet Adam gave her is untraceable unless it's being used!"

Guilt washed over him and Brennan closed his eyes briefly. He shouldn't have left Roslin behind. No matter how capable she'd thought herself, he should have picked her up and carried her to the Helix if necessary. He'd have done exactly that if it had been Emma. But he'd let his resentment and mixed emotions get in the way. He'd taken Roslin at her word, even though he knew better. And Jess knew there'd been friction between them - that Bren had some kind of issue with her.

"I'm sorry Jess. I should have made sure she came back with us." Brennan opened his eyes as he finished speaking.

Jess could see the guilt and regret in the brown eyes, but it wasn't enough to temper his anger. "Damn right you should have! She didn't sign up for the same crap we did, Bren!"

Jess looked away, folding his hands, probably to keep from continuing to pop his knuckles.

Brennan sighed to himself. He'd been doing a lot of thinking - both on the flight back to Sanctuary and while running data searches. At first he hadn't been able to figure out why he'd resented Roslin's presence in Sanctuary. He'd finally figured it out though. And it was because of what had happened out there that he had.

He was supposed to protect her from the GSA and anyone else back in Chinatown and he hadn't, not well enough. She'd already put herself on the line for Mutant X, or at least for Jess, and he'd repaid that risk by not taking the threat to her seriously. It wasn't Roslin that he really resented. It was what she represented - his failure. And now she'd put herself at risk again for them. And he'd failed to protect her, this time from herself, again.

"They may not have cleared out yet, Jess. We should go back and check."

"Bullshit Bren! This is Ashlocke we're talking about. He has more hiding places than we can keep track of. And he knows it was us!" Jess put his hands back on the keyboard. From the sound of it, he was hitting the keys far harder than necessary. "What the hell did he even steal that data for anyway?"

Brennan frowned. That was something he hadn't though about. Why would Ashlocke steal data on a virus Adam had already found a counter to? Though this was apparently a mutated version of the virus and that might have something to do with it. "To screw over Eckhart? I don't know Jess. Why does Ashlocke do anything?"

Jesse just shook his head, starting a new series of searches for any video feeds on the few of Ashlocke's hideouts Mutant X knew about. He was the watching the list of files grow when Shalimar came bounding up the stairs. Leaning over his shoulder, she snagged his mug. Finding it empty, she shook her head slightly, disappearing into the kitchen. A minute or two later, she returned and set a full mug in front of her friend.

"Emma and I are going to go back and overfly the building. Ashlocke's probably cleared out already. If so, we'll go in and see if he left anything useful behind."

Jesse's fingers paused on the keyboard. After a bit, he removed one hand from the keyboard, rummaging through several flash drives sitting atop the computer. Finally he found the one he was looking for and handed it to Shal with a slight shrug. "If you get in, plug this into the server hub. I'll be able to access it from here. There's probably not much that'll be helpful, but you never know."

Shalimar pocketed the drive and rubbed his shoulders for a bit. She knew her "little brother" all too well. And she knew he and Roslin had been getting close. What Paragon had done to the other woman had certainly thrown a wrench into things, but they both seemed to be getting past that over the past few weeks.

He hadn't wanted Roslin to come on the mission with them, and given what they knew now, he'd been right. But if Adam had known the telepath was Ashlocke, Shal knew they'd have gone about the whole thing differently. They couldn't change what had happened. But they could work to fix it.

"Have either of you seen Toby since we got back?" Before locking himself in the lab with the virus data, the scientist had asked them to update the visiting telepath.

"Uh, no. But I haven't been looking at much other than the computer. Bren?" Most of the heat had drained from Jesse's voice, only to be replaced by worry.

Brennan shook his head. "Haven't seen him yet. Guess it'll be up to us to fill him in?"

"Would you? Emma and I want to get going ASAP."

"No prob. Hopefully you'll have better luck than we are."

The feral flashed Brennan a grateful smile, giving Jesse's shoulders a last squeeze. "Good luck, guys. We'll be back soon."

Brennan waved at her. Jess just gave an absent nod, already pulling up the first of the video files.


	18. Chapter 18

_Sorry for the short chapter. Hopefully what happens will be worth the read._

* * *

Plans to change locations had been in place since Gabriel took the job from Ms. Nolan. The appearance of Mutant X and his acquisition of their companion only moved the schedule forward a few hours.

He considered asking if his guest had made her decision but decided to give her a bit more time. Unfortunately for her that did mean his companions had to blindfold and restrain her during the move, just to be on the safe side. A pity, but probably smart in the long run. He really was hoping she'd make the right choice.

Once they arrived, he dismissed most of his followers. The new location was less comfortable than the one they'd left, though if he had his way, they wouldn't be there for long. The most important aspect of the location was that Mutant X hadn't discovered it yet.

He really was getting irritated with that group. Bad enough that their strength and abilities should have been part of the Strand. It infuriated him that Kane had so far managed to keep them out of his hands. Oh, he'd had Shalimar for a short while, but she'd gone right back to Adam and Mutant X. One day, probably not too far in the future, there was going to be a final showdown. When it happened, he fully intended to be the last one standing.

Still, there was time yet, and Gabriel was more interested in seeing Eckhart brought down before he tackled the issue of Adam Kane and Mutant X. Despite his issues with Kane, at least the man thought he was helping new mutants. Eckhart wanted all new mutants dead or controlled. He had no intention of doing anything that would actually help them.

So, finish this job, determine if Ms. Nolan might be useful in the future. Then he'd see to dealing with Eckhart. Adam Kane would be the icing on his cake.

It was about time to check in with his guest and see if she'd made her decision yet. Her involvement might affect his future plans.

* * *

Roslin felt Ashlocke coming long before he entered the room. Her headache had faded, despite the location change, but his presence was like a sunburn on defenses already raw. It was enough of a warning for her to slip into that mental space that made her a Pretender, boxing up all of her true thoughts and feelings so deep there was no chance he would sense them. She rested her head on bound hands, not raising it again until she heard the door open and close again behind her host.

"So do I call Adam and tell him I have one of his people? Or do you call him and let him know you have a new employer?" Ashlocke's voice was amused, but there was a certain glint in his eyes that warned her of the danger in the wrong answer.

"Why would I want to go back to being a lab rat?" Roslin looked at her companion frankly and held her bound hands up. "He wants the same thing as Eckhart and Harrison do, if for different reasons."

Ashlocke studied her for several seconds and somewhere deep down where he couldn't sense it, she winced at the path she was going to have to walk if he bought it. Finally he gestured and the restraints fell from her wrists. "Good choice. Don't make me regret my generosity." With a chilling smile, he moved closer, offering her a hand up. "What's your name?"

She half-laughed and executed a half-bow over his hand as she stood up. "Roslin Britton at your service, Gabriel."

As she straightened up, she allowed herself to take an appraising look at him. He really wasn't bad looking - kind of attractive in that dangerous, bad boy way. Even without his new mutant powers, he probably would have women falling at his feet. Of course, there were those small problems of his sociopathic tendencies and super-sized ego. Buried deep, her true self shuddered as he noticed her appraisal and he pulled her close.

Leaning down, he whispered in her ear. "And just what service would you offer me, Roslin?"

Sliding her hands lightly up to Ashlocke's biceps, Roslin looked at him from under lowered lashes. Her real self, safe within its hidden box shuddered once as she pushed it even deeper and let the personality she needed surface. She kept her voice to a soft, breathy purr. "What service would you like from me, Gabriel?"

He lifted a brow, a please smile tugging at the corners of his lips as his hands slipped to her waist. "Moving a bit fast, aren't you?"

Roslin chuckled softly. "Why shouldn't I? It's just us and your bully-boys here. And I feel like I've been living in a monastery for the last month."

"An attractive damsel in distress and the Mutant X boys ignored you? I find that hard to believe." His fingers slipped under the edge of her shirt, tracing idle patterns against her skin and distracting her momentarily.

After a few seconds, Rolin gave Ashlocke a slightly wry smile and shrugged. "Brennan didn't like me. Besides, he's interested in someone else. Jesse kept himself buried in the computers. I don't think he'd have noticed me that way unless I ambushed him naked in his bed. The girls don't swing my way and Adam is clueless unless it has to do with his research."

"Poor Roslin. Looking for some action and there was none to be had." There was laughter in his voice and that was just fine with Roslin. She pouted, slipping one hand upward to trace random patterns against the pulse point on his neck. "I'd consider it a hiring bonus, unless of course, you don't find me as attractive as you seem to think Brennan and Jesse should have."

Ashlocke's answer didn't come in words. His hand slid down to her butt and pulled her tightly against him. Roslin swayed slightly in his hold, her empathy momentarily overwhelmed by the lust that rolled off him in waves. Leaning down, he nibbled her earlobe briefly. "They were blind and stupid, my dear."

Roslin let her head fall back as he nuzzled her neck. The man did have some definite talents. He teased her for a minute or two more before bringing his lips to hers.

It wasn't a chaste, or even testing, kiss. It was demanding, possessive, and a warning that she wouldn't be allowed to tease. It lasted too long and was over too quickly.

Ashlocke flashed her a lazy smile as his lips left hers. "Unfortunately, this will have wait. I have some business that needs to be dealt with first. But we'll pick up where we left off."

She shuddered at the combination of promise and threat in both his voice and emotions as he stepped away. It took a deep breath and a slow exhale to settle herself. "The auction for the virus data, right?"

He grinned. "I like you. You're sharp and smart. Yeah. I need to finalize a few things. Then I'll be done until tomorrow. Why don't you find someplace to relax for a bit." He chuckled. "And stay away from my 'bully-boys.' I don't think I'd trust them around you."

She waited until he left, until she could no longer feel his presence, before leaving the room that had been her temporary cell. The first thing she looked for was a restroom. As she entered and locked the door, her assumed personality slipped away. Seconds later, she found herself dry-heaving over the toilet as the revulsion of what she'd just done hit.


	19. Chapter 19

_Real life got in the way, but I finally got a chance to get some more of the story typed up. Things are settling down so hopefully I'll be able to update again before too long._

* * *

None of the video feeds were telling me anything. Wherever Ashlocke was, it wasn't one of the locations we knew about. Random facial recognition was starting to look like a plausible course of action.

Bren had been running some analysis of his own, but I wasn't paying much attention until he said something.

"Jess, I could be wrong here, but doesn't it seem like Ashlocke chooses similar locations for all his hideouts?"

I frowned, thinking but I couldn't bring any specifics to mind. Before I could ask, he shunted his analysis to my desktop. Now Brennan doesn't like computer work much, but he's smarter than people give him credit for. He's good at seeing connections when he takes the time to look. And this time he'd definitely found something.

"Jess?

I pulled up a map of the city.

"Jess!"

Zooming in on the industrial sections of the city, I started marking the factors Bren had found. A hand landed heavily on my shoulder, startling me, and I half-turned. Bren reached past me, turning off the monitor and shaking his head slightly.

"Take a break first, bro. You haven't eaten since we got back."

I started to protest but my stomach growled loud enough for him to hear. Bren just chuckled.

"Come on, let's get some food in 'll be more focused once you've filled that black hole you call a stomach."

A glance at my watch told me it was later than I'd thought. Brennan was probably right. I hated the idea of delaying the search but if I didn't take care, I'd be in no shape to help Roslin when we did find her.

Bren didn't quite sigh when I stood up, but there was definitely a touch of relief on his face.

Food, and a break from the data, did help. When I got back to the computer, it had already finished the search I'd input. Only four locations hit all the factors Bren had come up with. They were as good as any place else to start.

A couple of hours later I was double checking all my research - certain it couldn't be that easy. But it all checked out. Two vehicles had arrived at my most likely location within the last hour. There wasn't much in the way of video coverage, and the angles were bad, but I was able to identify Ashlocke and one of his followers. That was more than enough evidence for me.

I surfaced from the research to find that Sanctuary was asleep - or as close as it ever came. It appeared everyone had decided to get some rest. I was too wound up to do the same.

I was tempted to wake everyone up - I didn't want Roslin in Ashlocke's hands any longer than necessary. But Adam would insist on proof that Roslin was there. All I had so far was proof that Ashlocke was there.

I knew better - really I did - but I hesitated for less than a minute before leaving a message for Adam and heading for the Helix. I could scout the place out and with any luck I'd find something that would convince Adam. As long as I was careful, it should be safe enough. Ashlocke had no reason to realize we'd found his new location.

It didn't take long to get there, but I spent the entire trip figuring out what reasons I was going to give Adam for why I was going off on my own. To say he was going to be upset with me was an understatement. I already knew the disappointed look I was going to get from him when I got back and he found out. Brennan or Shal he'd expect to go off on their own, but I tended to play by the rules.

Bren and Shal weren't going to be too happy with me either. But twice now, I'd left Roslin's safety in just their hands - and twice they'd failed to keep her safe. I wasn't willing to trust her safety to just their hands a third time.

I set the stealthed Helix down in a parking lot across the street. The only indication anyone was there were two vehicles sitting outside. Not helpful. If I wanted something to show for this little midnight jaunt, I was going to have to get down on the ground and scout things out.

It was quiet, not surprising since this part of town was pretty much deserted after dark. The building Ashlocke was holed up in was supposed to be deserted. The company that held the title had gone bankrupt and all its assets were in escrow until the court determined whether or not to sell them to pay the debts.

I had to get pretty close before it became obvious the property wasn't deserted. Even then it was only little things - a glimmer of light from an upper window, footprints where none should be. Stuff like that.

I was going to have to go inside. There was no new information to be had from out here. What I should do it go back to Sanctuary and get Shal or Emma. By the time we'd get back, it would be daylight though and that much harder to get in without being spotted. No, Roslin might not have that kind of time.

I phased through the back wall, near the corner furthest from the street. It put me in a dusty storage room, which was fine with me. From the depth of the dust, no one had been in it for a long time.

There was enough light coming through the windows for me to keep from tripping over things on my way to the door. Once there, I did something I usually avoid. Phasing, I stuck my head and shoulders through the door to take a look. Being phased made me hard to see and almost impossible to hit. Only a few other molecular class mutants have abilities that can counter my phase.

I caught sight of one of Ashlocke's people just as they turned the corner at the end of the hall, but that was it. Stepping the rest of the way through the door, I inhaled and dropped the phase. It took a second to shake off the lingering hint of pain that an extended phase always causes.

I'm not as stealthy as Shal, but I can move quietly when I need to. I made it to the end of the hall and stopped. So far this had been too easy for my comfort. I wasn't about to let my concentration slip.

A glance around the corner showed me an empty hallway and a set of stairs. The light I'd seen from outside had been on the second floor, so that seemed as good a destination as any. I eased around the corner and made for the stairs.

There was no telling what I'd find when I got to the top. That little voice in the back of my head was telling me how stupid I was being. I had to get some proof other than a blurry camera image if I was going to convince Adam. Stupid or not, I couldn't convince myself to leave yet.

I should have listened to that little voice. I knew better. A whisper of movement was all the warning I had before I found myself face to face with the wall. Before I even had time to decide whether to mass or phase, I heard a click and felt something cold on the back of my neck.

Damn.

I winced as the subdermal governor pierced my skin. I could try to fight my way out, but all I was likely to get for it was bruises. Yep, I should have listened. I was just going to have to go with it and see what happened. I was pretty sure a personal visit from Ashlocke was in my immediate future.

The guy who nailed me was good. He stayed behind me, never letting me get a look at his face. Back down the stairs, down a different hallway. Then down another set of stairs. He left me in a room with a metal door and a single chair for furnishing.

Lovely. Even without the governor, I'd have been reluctant to try phasing out of a basement. It wasn't like I could levitate. Dirt would suffocate me just the same as rock would.


End file.
